Shadowdark #3...escaping Kazad Morrrr

 With the characters reduced from 12 to 7, odds were not in their favour...

They did however, manage to find and destroy the Eye Priest, who brought the curse to Kazad Mor in the first place...despatching him with a critical which ended up rolling triple damage, from the dagger of a half-dead, half-orc, apprentice sorceress...long story. 

 

The characters that survive...now names, not just numbers, of which more next time. One halfling survived, which normally never happens. I habitually ban hobbits and their ilk from most games, pubs, festivals, football games, taxis and weddings. Little gits.

Moving north toward a hopeful way out, they discover 'the Defender' - a massive stone golem, with attitude, which they again critically hit with pick axes (which stone golems really don't like). This leads them to the treasure room, wherein they manage to gain some useful magic items (including an elven blade, which dislikes lying, and a dwarven shield, which may be a bit of an earth elemental.

The eye-priest did not die well...thanks to a random 20 and a roll on the crit table...lucky bastards

 Finding the stone bridge controls, they extend the exit bridge, then retract it, having fun sending many dwarven zombies to the lava river, before realising that the only way home is to keep the bridge extended, and 'unwittingly' permit a hundred zombie dwarves to find their way into the snowy mountainside.

Glad at last to no longer be simply numbered pieces of cardboard if they survive, the characters engage 'Tim' the Stone Golem...

They have however found their quest-item...the mythical 'Rune forge' which they deliver back to the dwarf Sprocket, and make to head for home to the faction riddled rebel town of Borderfell (or Boderfell...since its very name is the focus of derision and hatred etc.)

On the way, the now 1st level, party of 7...help a merchant named Tredegar mend the wheel of his transport...and he, is on his way, to the village of Grommlet...

Not the basis for the next mini-campaign...no..no..I promise. Would I lie to you?