Arrival in Oakhurst

The adventures began in the air balloon of Grumbar, high above the Sword Coast. Huddled in the basket were the three dwarven cousins Baern Balderk, Mauk Foehammer, and Drustan Green, as well as the druid Scrimcorn, and the towering goliath barbarian Bearjaw. All of the adventurers were heading towards the small town of Oakhurst to answer the call of the Hucrele family, whose adult children had vanished into the Sunless Citadel.

In Oakhurst, the adventurers heard rumors of magic fruits sold by the goblins of the Sunless Citadel, as well as cattle corpses found with a thousand needle-like marks.

Assault on Goblintown

The adventurers set out for the Sunless Citadel. Climbing down, the characters battled rats and animated skeletons, slowly exploring the sunken temple to the red dragon Ashardalon.

Soon, the adventurers encountered a weak, whimpering Kobold named Meepo, anguished over the loss of his tribe's dragon Calcryx to a rival gang of Goblins. The characters agreed to seek the dragon.

After swarming over a number of goblin guards, the group opened two doors and encountered trouble. Behind one door, Calcryx burst out in a fury. Behind the other door, hidden goblins fell Oilvayne with a barrage of arrows. After a tense fight, Calcryx had decapitated Meepo and escaped, but the group was safe.

Within the next few chambers, the characters rescued a halfling acolyte named Erky Timbers. A compulsive storyteller, Erky quickly endeared himself to the adventurers.

Further into the Sunless Citadel, the adventuring party came upon Goblintown, a large chamber taken over by a tribe of goblins.

Raiding the Orcs

Rather than entering the main gates of Khundrukar, the group investigated a thin column of smoke over another rise. The smoke came through a hole leading to an orcish kitchen.

The characters set out battling the orcish encampment, though Riikka was suddenly called away by Adric Amberhelm.

After demolishing the orc tribe, the characters found the last remaining orc asleep in a bed. Aubec the orc pleaded for his life, promising to reveal any secrets of Khundrukar. The group took pity on this final orc survivor.

Troglodytes of the Glitterhame

After investigating a few intriguing dwarven doors, the group descended a staircase into a lower level. They were attacked by swarms of stirges. In the caves below, the characters encountered a tribe of troglodytes. After disbanding most of the troglodytes, the characters were ambushed by a Giant Subterranean Lizard, which almost swallowed Scrimcorn, and then swallowed Bearjaw.

The characters made their way through the Glitterhame, a glowing fungal forest. Within, they were attacked by gricks, including one giant alpha grick.

At the far end of the Glitterhame, the characters found an ancient, locked dwarven door. Drustan cast Knock to open the door. Behind the door was a staircase. At the top of the staircase, the characters saw a very surprised Duergar.

Cleansing the Forge

The characters climbed the stairs and found their way through a secret door to the Forge of Fury, the enchanted forge at which Durgeddin crafted legendary works of armor and weapons. Before they could explore further, the characters were found by Dax Shadowstalker, legendary assassin.

Dax explained that he had joined in with the Mudbeards hired by Adric Amberhelm to kill Drustan Green. He witnessed the Mudbeards causing death and chaos in Blasingdell. However, Dax decided he would make more money by joining in with the characters.

To test Dax, the characters asked him to stealthily kill a duergar who had come to investigate the hall of the forge. Dax did so with great skill.

The characters continued to fight the duergar until forcing the final one to surrender. Nymera, the last duergar, told the characters that the duergar had been sent to Khundrukar to discover the secrets of the enchanted forge. However, they had failed. Oilvayne recognized a symbol on the belts of the duergar as that of the Skullbashers, a gang from Skullport. Nymera was killed by Dax.

Behind the enchanted forge, a large pit opened to the lair of the black dragon Nightscale. Drustan gave Nightscale the Night Caller in exchange for two days of peace.

Explorations and Revelations

Behind a secret door, Mauk found the journal of the legendary dwarven crafter Durgeddin. The journal detailed the betrayal of Adric Amberhelm, who had tasked Durgeddin with crafting seven jewels imbued with the magic of the Pool of Souls. After attaining the jewels, Adric sent a warband of orcs to destroy Khundrukar. Arundil, Durgeddin's companion and wizard of the clan, had stolen one gem and sent it to Taita Somethingorother in Deep Imaskar.

Through more exploration, the characters discovered the body of Durgeddin, cursed by orcs.

Following more secret doors and tunnels, the characters found an ancient battleground haunted by the ghost of the dwarven wizard Arundil. After praying to Moradin, Baern used Remove Curse to put both Durgeddin and Arundil's souls to rest.

The characters descended into Nightscale's lair and slew the dragon. Within Nightscale's horde, the characters found a Wand of Magic Missile, Durgeddin's Belt (a Belt of Dwarven Kind), and Durgeddin's Axe (Greataxe +1).

The characters used the Marvelous Pigments to paint a secret tunnel out of Khundrukar. However, when the tunnel opened, they were acosted by a flash of light and an invisible force. Oilvayne, somehow, had been summoned to Deep Imaskar by the spellcaster Dejah Parminter, and was replaced by an impersonator.

As Mauk explored the enchanted forge, Drustan and Baern found Arundil's library. They dispatched a succubus, and Drustan took two of Arundil's journals and a history of Khundrukar.

Working together, Mauk and Arundil unlocked the secrets of Durgeddin's enchanted forge. Through summoning the history of the forge, they transfered some, but not all, of the power of Durgeddin's Axe to Headshaver.

Journey to Mithral Hall

After leaving Khundrukar, the group rested briefly in a natural hot spring before choosing which roads to take to Mithral Hall. While relaxing, Drustan made Bearjaw a flaming ogre skull mask (with the help of Baern) to celebrate her birthday. Drustan also gave Baern a key to his home in Gauntlgrym, telling Baern that it symbolizes the life he owes to his cousin. If Baern were to brandish the key, Drustan would follow his orders, no matter the circumstances.

Scrimcorn received a vision from the Three Witches. Amongst other sights, he received a message to stay with the Hammer of All Souls, and to gather the bone dust of a skull broken by the Hammer in an act of war.

The group decided to take a longer, but safer, trek through the mountains of the Spine of the World on their way to Mithral Hall. On the way, they located a tribe of Goliaths. After impressing the Goliaths by hunting a winter stag, the group was invited to a storytelling moot. Each member of the party told a story of their own, and listened to a story of Snowbane's feats of strength, fortitude, and bravery. Scrimcorn met with Skywatcher Hard Eye, the tribe's druid.

Meeting at Mithral Hall

While traveling through Fell Pass, Baern sent a message to his father, Barend Balderk, requesting an audience regarding "dire news." Upon reaching Settlestone, the barbarian-founded trading town outside Mithral Hall, Baern and Mauk left the group to meet with Barend. Baern and Mauk were surprised by an entire council of dwarves, including Adric Amberhelm's barrister.