Gygax & Greyhawk Session # 55 - Through Winter Snow, Up Mountains Steep

DRAMATIS PERSONAE:

Skeef Hawkridge (Half Elf Druid 6/ Thief 6) 
Solcha (Elf Fighter 5 / Magic User 5) with henchman Usborn (Gnome Fighter 2/Illusionist 2)
Chanee (Human Paladin 3)
[Baqua Irontoes (Halfling Fighter 3 / Thief 3)]

Date/Time

Fireseek 5, 577 (morning) to Readying 9, 577 (mid-day)

The party re-groups in Nevond Nevnend to drown their frustration and plan for new adventures. Solcha told the party that while she was carrying out her scholarly work in their absence, she spared a few moments to study the tome "Of Fabulous Relics and Artifacts ... etc etc" and came across several tales of noteworthy magical swords that might be of interest. In particular the party was intrigued by the story of Monandril Hath, the Golden Atman and hero of the Flan from before the time of the great migrations of the Oeridians and Suloise. Morandril was noted to carry  twin swords Tangarar “Flamebrand” and Amroteth “The Shard of Frost”. The legends say that when the frost giant jarls invaded deep into the plains of Tenh during the Winter of the White Wolves, Morandril first lead the Host to defeat the invaders and then entered the mountains alone to find and fight the Frost King in the Vale of Ice. The power of the frost giants was broken for a century, but Morandril never returned and it is said he paid for the victory with his life, and remains still in that frozen vale.

The thought of recovering these two legendary swords of elemental power seemed a worthwhile endeavor, so the party starts gathering cold weather gear, and mules and sledges for the long journey into the Griff Mountains at the height of winter. They consult the sage Gylpi Evell, who as able to confirm the tale and give ancient directions to this Vale of Ice where the lair of the Frost King lay buried beneath glacial ice. They also consult a dwarf by the name of Zorak, a miner, merchant and occasional traveller in this part of the Griffs. He tells them they would find few friendly faces apart from perhaps a few of his people working the old copper mines. This part of the Griffs is filled with mostly giants and monsters and dangerous winter conditions. 

The party is somewhat surprised when Solcha's henchman Usborn reports for duty with a companion; one they recognize as the surly halfling server at the "Hellgate" tavern in Oxton. It would seem the two had hit it off during the long days Usborn spent in the seedy establishment waiting by the gate for the party to return from Hell. The party somewhat warily welcomes the halfling, figuring more help was good, especially since Goro could not join them right away due to duties at the temple. The cleric would follow them shortly.  

Beginning their journey under snowy skies, the party had first to traverse the high plains along the border between the Duchy and the Bandit Kingdoms, a place where few lived. During their several days travel, their most reliable companion was bad weather. On their first night they also inadvertently set up camp atop the winter den of some giant poisonous snakes. A short combat ensures before Skeef was able to use his druid skills to calm the snakes and end the bloodshed. But not before  Baqua has fallen to a poison bite. The halfling's body, already frozen stiff, is tossed atop one of the sledges in the hopes that Goro would arrive quick enough to cure poison.  

After a second encounter with a gorgon hiding in a small herd of escaped cattle, they enter the mountains proper. Keeping the Zumber River on their left, the party plunges into the snow drifts and ice for many days of slow and cold climbing. On one day Skeef triggers a sudden avalanche, and is saved only by Solcha's quick featherfall that keeps him from being buried alive. On a blustery blizzardy day, Usborn ends up snow blind and must ride the sledge for a few days as she recovers. Another day brings an encounter with playful giant otters, who tumble their mule (but thankfully not their sledge of supplies) into the river. The mule is saved by a combination of the party's strength and help from the now chastised otters. 

After more than two weeks of mountain travel, they reach the point where the sage had told them their  trail must leave the riverside. Climbing alongside a smaller stream and up a steep valley, another couple of days brings them to a headwall. Climbing up the mountain face deposits  them in a long and narrow hanging valley. Solcha used her fly  spell to climb above the snow covered pine forest that blocks their view to get a lay of the land. Apart from scattered patches of pine forest, a large frozen lake dominates the upper end of the valley some 5-6 miles away. Above the lake hangs a glacier where they assume the lost lair of the Frost King is located.  The valley to the west is dominated by steep slopes and overhanging snow, while to the east the valley wall is less steep but a series of rocky spurs hems in the valley floor. Solcha also notes two areas where smoke or perhaps steam (for Gylpi Evell had told them of hot spring the in Vale) rise into the air. One close but on the opposite side of the outlet stream that tumbles down the center of the valley; the other on the east side of the valley close to the glaciers edge. 

The elf lands and the party proceeds on foot. Passing through the pine woods, they encounter a trio of winter wolves. The creatures, obviously hungry and ill tempered, let them pass unmolested. Skeef's guess is the party did not look to be the easy picking the wolves desire. After several hours moving slowly through the woods, they party emerges into the open and could better see their destination ... 

GAINS

none

KILLS/VICTORIES

1 gorgon

3 giant poisonous snakes [defeated] 

LOSSES

Baqua