Gygax & Greyhawk Session #2 - Foul Dealings

DRAMATIS PERSONAE:

Ranzel of the Wood (Human Ranger 1)
Solcha (Elf Fighter 1 / Magic User 1)
Skeff Hawkridge (Half Elf Druid 1 / Thief 1) 
Gorro (Half Orc Cleric 1 / Fighter 1) 

Date/Time

Planting 1 - late morning to Planting 2 - sunrise 

The party follows the directions given by the creature in the stem pool to a rough path climbing up the scree and boulders of the mountainside, leading to a snow caped ridge above. Halfway up they encounter a low tunnel bored thorough the snow. This tunnel continues to climb and reaches a fork; to the left it climbs steeper and into an open space. To the right a short stub tunnel ends and turns straight up to a dead end. Taking the left tunnel, they emerge into a symmetrical ice cave 40' across which is bathed in a faint blue glow. The glow emanates from a pool in the centre, on the other side of which squats a creature reminiscent of the one in the steam pool; about 4' tall, winged and gargoyle-ish. But in this case with angular features and blue/white skin. The party ties to negotiate, probing to learn why there is such enmity between the steam and ice creatures, and ask to see the egg it guards. The creature makes references to serving it's master, similar to that spoken by the steam creature. It also makes a pointed remark about a cleric of Heironeous being in league with the "Lord of Lies",  which Gorro recognizes as a reference to the arch-devil Baalzebul.

In the end, negotiation fails and combat ends in the defeat of the ice mephit. An icy dive into the pool of clear water recovers a glowing blue egg and a handful of blue gem shards. The egg becomes active as it warms, and there is thought of encasing it in snow to keep it inert. It is instead left to hatch, an a baby remorhaz emerges and attacks. Realizing it's carapace is almost impossible to break through, the party teams up to push it into the pool of water and then flee back down the tunnel. Retracing their steps back to the geyser, they find the steam mephit gone and a note scratched on black slate: "The Lord of Flies thanks you for your service". 

Frustrated and annoyed. the party heads down the edge of the lake until they are looking over another cliff and into the next lower valley, a mix of forest, swamp and lake. In the lake is an island with a small watchtower. Likewise, another watchtower stands on a high ridge to the left. They pass the thundering waterfalls that drop over the cliff and follow a path along the valley wall and through a narrow gully leading into the valley below. They head for the island in the lake, but the sight of a ghostly figure walking the battlements force Ranzel and Solcha to flee. The others retreat as well, and camp it set up for the night in the defensible gully. 

Next morning, a light rain falls and a second attempt is made at the tower. This time all four flee in terror from the ghostly figure, runing back to their campsite ...

GAINS

chips of blue quartz [110gp]

KILLS/VICTORIES

1 ice mephit

LOSSES

none