# Return to the Known Lands
# Sessions #10, #11 and #12 (11/28/20, 12/5/20, 12/12/20)

## PCs:

* Gato (Half FM 2) RIP - Run through by an Orcish scimitar!
* Bard (FM 1) RIP - Stabbed by a Goblin short sword!
* Osan (Elf F/MU 1/1)
* Dorful (Elf F/MU 1/1)
* Omes (Half FM 1)
* Habru (Cleric 1)

## NPCs:

Habru's war dog, named Dog

## Hirelings:

* Arvay (torch bearer)
* Thom (meatshield)
* Boris (meatshield)

## LL Notes:


The next series of five sessions took place in the [Fortress of the
Mountain King][1]. This is an old Brave Halfling module written for
Labyrinth Lord, which details an old Dwarven stronghold that has
been inhabited by the Mountain King and his band of humanoids. I
don't like it as written, I think the map is too crowded and the
challenges a bit mundane. What I did was re-draw the map, removing
several rooms, and re-worked the encounters so they were a bit more
challenging and hopefully interesting.

## Session notes:

The party followed rumors of the fortress location in an old Dwarven
stronghold, enticed by a 250gp reward offered for the head of the
Mountain King. They were joined by Habru, an old friend of theirs
from Dolmvay and a Cleric of Flim-Flam.

The party traveled north a few hours, finding the fortress entrance
as described. Ahead they could see a large, flat plateau nestled in
among the foothills and scrub. Atop the plateau they could see two
enormous doors. Next to them was a pile of rubble, and sitting atop
that was a lone Kobold. The Kobold was clearly a lookout, but they
could not see any means of entrance past him.

Omes decided to sneak up on the plateau, keeping under cover behind
some small scrub trees and hillocks. When close enough, he loosed an
arrow which hit its mark, killing the guard with one shot!

The rest of the party appoached, and they all ciimbed up to the
plateau to investigate further. The doors appeared solid, and they
saw no way to open them from this side. Osan searched the rubble
pile, finding a small gong. Not knowing what else to do, he rang it
once.

After a minute, the rightmost door opened a foot or so - the party
ignored the queries of the inside guard and rushed past, killing yet
another Kobold. Their luck ran out, however, as four Goblins poured
into the entrance hall from a room to their right, alerted by the
sounds of battle.

Osan, first through the entrance, ran past the Goblins to another
room on his left. But as he arrived, the door opened. One Orc stood
behind it, ready for battle. Osan charged past him, and too late saw
four other Orcs around a table, grabbing their weapons. He slid
under the table to buy himself some time and wait for
reinforcements, but one of the Orcs flipped the table and the others
ganged up on him. His plate armor saved him from numerous blows, but
he was losing ground, alone against the five Orcs.

Luckily Gato and Habru ran into the room to assist him. Habru used
his scroll of _hold person_ on one of the Orcs, and together the
three of them killed the other four Orcs and tied up their prisoner.

Meanwhile, in the outer hallway, Omes, Dorful and the two
meatshields fought and killed the Goblins, although not without some
wounds.

The party gathered in the Orc guard post and did some binding of
wounds, while Omes collected humanoid ears for their standard
bounty. Once rested, Osan questioned the held Orc. The Orc told them
of the Mountain King Glgnfz, who would kill them all once he learned
of the party's incursion. He refused to cooperate any further and
Osan killed him without a second thought.

Also in the outer hall, Dorful's keen elvish senses found a secret
door. Beyond it was an old library, mostly filled with crumbled
scrolls, but a thorough search turned up a lone intact scroll with
_cure light wounds_ on it.

There was one door in the outer hall that the party had not yet
investigated. Beyond it was an room full of reddish dust and empty
shelves, and also home to a rust beetle. They were able to kill it,
but Thom, Boris and Gato had their weapons turned to rust in the
process.

The trio gathered some Orcish replacement weapons and the party
moved back to the Orc guard post, with Gato scouting a long tunnel
leading north from beyond the only exit door. He could see four
doors on the left along the hallway, and an open door at the end, to
the right. He threw a hard biscuit down to the far end of the
hallway, where it hit the wall and rolled to a stop.

A minute later, an Ogre and two Orcs with bows entered from the
right and, spotting Gato, charged at him. Gato retreated into the
Orc guard post while Habru threw down some caltrops at the
doorway. Osan moved up and cast sleep, dropping the Ogre. The two
Orcs leapt over the sleeping Ogre and were met by the caltrops, Gato
and Omes. Melee ensued, which ended poorly for the Orcs - however
poor Gato was run through by an Orcish scimitar and died.

Omes searched the sleeping Ogre after slitting his throat,finding a
skelton key. He pocketed the key and listened at the first of the
doors on the left. He could hear water dripping, and decided to
avoid that room for now and move up to the next door. He entered
that door with the rest of the party, where they found several jail
cells along a narrow room. Two of the cells were occupied. Bard the
Fighting Man was in one and Brick the Bugbear in another. Both were
being held prisoner by Glgfnz, and both agreed to help the party
find and kill him. So they moved on with Brick and Bard in tow (LL
note: Bard was meant to be the new PC for Gato's player, and I made
a very friendly reaction roll for the Bugbear).

Habru and Dog decided to remain in the long hall while the party
moved north and explored what was beyond the opening to the
right. This was a large throne room, empty now save for a stone
throne in the north end of the room with the word "trésor" engraved
on it. While examining the throne, Bard saw a small humanoid peek
out of what was presumably a secret door to the east.

Omes ran to pursue the humanoid before it could get away, but his
plans were cut short when he fell into a pit on the other side of
the secret door. Osan moved to help Omes, but as he did so, the
party heard noises of battle in the hallway outside of the throne
room. They ran to the north end of the hallway and could see that
three Goblins and a troglodyte riding a giant lizard were pursuing
Habru, who was running towards the party at full speed!

Habru and Dog retreated to the throne room, where the party
surrounded the attackers. In the ensuing battle, Habru and Dog were
wounded, while poor Bard was killed by a Goblin short sword (LL
note: There was some laughter here as the poor player who was now
running Bard had just lost Gato).

Their enemies defeated, the party moved back into the hall,
exploring the third door which they assumed their attackers had run
out of. Behind that door was a winding tunnel that lead to a large
room that appeared to be an archery range. They could also see some
small straw mats scattered about, probably for the Goblins. A search
turned up two throwing daggers and a pouch with a dozen small gems.

Moving on to the last door, they discovered an unlit cavern beyond
it that appeared to be a latrine, and wisely steered clear of the
stench.

[1]: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/58438/Fortress-of-the-Mountain-King