Halls of the Mountain King Session 23 – A Grim Tithing

Halls of the Mountain King was the second 4th Edition Open Design project from Kobold Press. I ran the adventure in 2010 as part of the same Parsantium campaign as Wrath of the River King. Here’s the write up from the 23rd session.

Begin here with Session 1 – Alarm in the Dead of Night.

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After the characters have rested, they head back towards the Grand Lodge of the Old Masters. In what’s left of the Great Hall, they spot a group of sinister cloaked figures threatening Boso and Sawbones. Krivinn strides up, demanding to know what’s going on. The cloaked figures are two devils – Mr Purse (a gilded devil) and Mr Bridle (a kyton) – and a familiar face – Orodak the tiefling. Two dwarven converts to the cult of Mammon round out the group.

Battle ensues with Boso and Sawbones proving surprisingly good fighters, landing several good blows on first Mr Purse and then Orodak. The tiefling’s knives of the mountain attack misses the characters but hits both dwarves; his fumes of the earth power also damages his allies, although he does at least hit Bolval too.

Meanwhile Krivinn is attacked by Mr Bridle, and Mr Purse runs off with Boso’s bag of orichalcum coins. The characters defeat the kyton and both dwarves, then go after Orodak whom Boso and Sawbones have cornered. The slippery tiefling manages to get free and makes a run for it, having used turn the fatal blade to resist the characters’ weapon damage. This doesn’t help him elude Saethus and the wizard brings him down with a magic missile.

The fight over, the characters head into the Chamber of the Old Masters where Bolval reads the six names written on the plaques. One of them is very familiar: Mastermind of the Sanctum and Sealer of Gates, Verubious Rabscuttle. 

Talking to Varden Redfel, the characters learn that to get to the “heartsblood” of the mountain they need to descend the Great Stair, head through the lower halls of the Trochil Gate and take an elevator down the water-rise. The party sets off without further ado.

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The passage from the Great Stair leads into a large cavern. The area leading to the gates out of the Citadel is shrouded in fog; the rest of the hall is filled with the mutilated bodies of Forsaken, apparently killed by a large clawed beast, presumably the gold dragon Vianna became. A few pathetic derro are still alive and Bolval tries to talk to them but their responses are insane, cryptic, and unhelpful. As they approach the water elevator, another old enemy appears. This is the ghost of Carod the journeyman, still bearing the wounds inflicted on him by the party in the Ventshafts. 

Carod tries to tempt the characters, offering to bring Ella out of her coma and to heal Sharden’s broken leg in exchange for the party giving up their quest. Our brave heroes refuse (of course!) and Bolval turns the undead as Carod and three fellforged constructs move to attack. The ghostly journeyman tries to possess Bolval but it doesn’t work and the cleric is able to repel the undead. Then, five Forsaken shades join the fray, followed by another five, and Krivinn is forced to use knightly intercession to save Saethus who is down to 2 hp. The fellforged and shades are destroyed, then the eladrin finishes off Carod with magic missile.

After a short rest and some healing from Bolval, the characters repair the water-rise, although Krivinn’s botched up attempts to help make things harder! The party discuss whether to investigate the fog or descend the elevator next.

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