Returning to Grime (Day 1 Down River)

[AxeMental]

After a day of resting the princess seems to recover from her ordeal. The group take turns recalling all that has happened since her disappearance and the journey that brought you together.

She seems totally fasinated and asks many questions of everyone (save the Half Orc who stares at her but says nothing). Her biggeset concern is for her brother, and she argues to stay and help find him...she informs the group that she has studied both fighting and magic (though you don't think she is very experianced). STill she makes use of Cadellin's spell book (not having her own) and copies down some of his first level spells she already new (and memorizes several).

The next day the boat is readied and placed in the water tied to the side. It's then loaded down with treasure (all the most valuable stuff is split between the members and the bag of holding carried by Subdolus is filled to the brink (if thats ok with him) and what food supplies remain is placed under the seats (there isn't much). THe 2 dwarves guard the half orc withshortswords to his back forcing him to row.

The princess stays in the middle next to Sogathan and the various fighters take the oars and bow, while Fletcher mans the tillar of the river boat. Let me know if you choose to wear your heavy armor on the way down or not. Several empty barrels are lashed together into a small back up raft and dragged behind on a rope to make for an emergency floating devices incase the boat tips.

Once everyone is on board the boat is cut free and begins down river disappearing under the glacier! Bulls eye lanterns are lit and directed forward.

The river is fast here but clear of rocks. It widens after a minute and light from the glacier above alluminates everything (as if your travelling down a bluish tunnel of ice. After going down river 300 yards you see a split (left and right) the right path has an eye over it carved into the ice (and has the bulk of the water flowing toward it), while the left path seems slower and is taller (it turns a corner so you can't see down it). Which way do you go (left or right)?

[AxeMental]

Actually I guess its up to Fletcher as he's at the tiller and your moving fast, but I'm sure he'd want some input.

[ermanaric]

Ermanaric will wear his armor. He suggests that perhaps the left path is safer.

[The Master]

Fletcher, who is out of armor, will turn to the left.

[AxeMental]

You travel 1/2 mile down the left branch which is flowing much more slowly, but still you hit a few small rapids. Eventually the river opens up into a small lake (about 300 feet roughly round and at least 40 feet deep) the water is crystal clear with a glacial aqua blue color and teeming with small fish. The lake lies on the bottom of a larger ice cavern 500 feet across and domed (70 feet at its hightest). A large landing is carved out of a single block of ice at the north end, and giant sized stairs twist upward 40 feet ending at what appears to be a 14 foot high 12 wide doorway blocked with a thick hanging skin (perhaps bear). Also a giant sized two handed axe rests against the stairway (similar to the ones you saw at the Frost Giant Castle).

Fletcher manuevers the boat around the small lake and finds the water exits the chamber threw several smaller streams too small (and too low a cieling to follow). Do you wish to disembark and investigate this giant sized stairway and blocked entrance or do you wish to back up and head down the other branch (it is sluggish enough to do this)?

[The Master]

Fletcher will ask for input from the party

[trp2fan]

The stream was a bit lazy, but there were some rapids. If we went upstream, are there portages we could use to get around the rapids?

Calhagn is tempted to investigate the stair and large doorway, but being the one who kinda pushed to bring the princess home, he won't instigate exploring this area.

[subdolus]

"I would suggest we give a quick look. Two or three of us can take a cautious peek and we can decide based on what we see. It would be a shame to have to come down here again if it turns out there is nothing worth our time and we didn't check while we were here." Of course Subdolus will once again sway to the will of the group if they feel strongly about just turning around and leaving.

[AxeMental]

I'll give the others a while to respond, so far the group seems to be in favor of exploration.

BTW the boat you've aquired is light enough to carry and drag around rapids (given there's a bank) or pulled up river by rope. Its also both strong and light.

Flether informs the group this was a boat most likely made by Thorken frontiers men, hunters and fur traders who take their families deep into the wilds to carve out a living. The Thorken clap board boats are highly prized in these parts for their superior strength and managability in rapids as well as deep rivers and lakes (high walled with a shallow draft and minor V hall).

"Ahhhh, (he says with some admiration) This Frost Giant King you killed was no fool when it came to choosing a boat" Fletcher winks with a glint in his eye (realizing the boat must have been carried over 100 miles to this location) or perhaps it was chosen for him (he muses over this possibility).

You suspect this ranger fellow feels more at home in the deep wilds and frontiers exploring then he does in any city. He is an "outdoorsman" in every since of the word), and your glad to have him with you on your trek home.

[Ska]

Tiberious will offer to scout with the thief , but will go along with whatever the group wants to do.

(Tiberious does point out the boat could be damaged if we attract attention.)

[Semaj The Silent]

Subdolus makes a good point... best to give the area a cursory look to see what's afoot before heading on.

[ermanaric]

Ermanaric wishes to investigate this area as well.

[AxeMental]

OK the group ties off on the giant ice platform and jump out, the thief going first checking for traps.

The temp in here is very cold, and an icey breeze blows down the cavern, smokey ice emmiting as you breath or speak some already hardens around your facial hair. The half elf goes first up the stairs Followed by the monk and then the ranger (who puts his armor back on I'll assume) and then the rest of the group at a distance.

The stairs are huge and must be climbed by pulling yourselves up as you go. Once you make it to the top you find the giant bear skin to be frozen solid (as if someone had gotten it very wet before haning it, and it now can be swung open perhaps, like a door (though it doesn't budge and can't be picked) so Fletcher cuts a hole threw it with his magical short sword (with the ease of cutting paper). The thief enters first a large 200 foot square room 20 feet high carved from ice (by Fletchers reconing at least 100 years ago). Hanging from the cieling is a massive crystal chandellier of sorts glowing (perhaps a perm light spell) and alluminating the room in much splender. The room has 6 large obsidean rectangular sarcaphagous but of giant size arranged in a semi-circle in the center of the room . Each is highly polished... Subdolus ponders, these are the resting places of dead giants of the past.

At a glance around the room are weapons of gigantic size as well as large barrels of wine and baskets of food (meat and bread) all very old and frozen solid (things for the afterlife perhaps you consider). The quick thief spots a secret door in the ice against the east wall (2-6) that the other 2 adventurers miss. Its giant in size and starts 6 feet off the ground. The thief checks the threshold of the room before entering (the one the stairs leads to) and finds no traps, do you wish to go inside and investigate this room, if so what order (do the fighters move to the front)?

The princess moves up with the group of fighters, "some of my spells might come in handy" she stands beside Zargon for protection (but is happy to take anyones if its offered) she is also armed with daggers and a staff. She seems to know to stay toward the back, realizing her importance to the kingdom (the 2 dwarves stay with the boat).

[The Master]

Fletcher will take point to investigate the secret door

[AxeMental]

As fletcher moves halfway to the secret door he notices the crystaline light projected by the chandelier begin to move about on the walls (like little beams of light). Glancing up at the ceiling he sees what he thought to be a chandelier begin to crawl toward him...that is rather 3 seperate monsters do (he isn't surprised due to ranger training, but looses initiative 2 to monsters 4), all slimes hurl odd crystal like globs at him (really sticky acid), while 2 more slimes crawl along the cieling toward the doorway where Subdolus and Tiberious wait (also hurling globuals of acid) threatening to block the ranger in. The light spell remains in the center of the ceiling (apparently all 5 creatures were together surrounding it looking very similar to a chandelier).

Fletcher gets hit by 4 of 6 globs (doing 4 pts of damage total this round and then 4 more pts for the next 3 rounds due to acid) so that will be 16 points total after 4 rounds. Fletcher notices a giant sized shield he could hide behind, do you wish to do that (its on the opposite side of the room from the group)?

The 2 heading toward the front door throw 2 globs each, 2 head for Subdolus and 2 for the monk TIberious. Tiberius would be hit but dodges both. Subdolus gets hit in the shoulder by an acid glob and takes 1 pt this round (it will be a total of 4 damage after 4 rounds). The strange slime monsters (beautiful to behold) begin to ooze down from the cieling in drips reaching out toward Fletcher as if to drop on him as do the ones heading toward the front door. These Glittering Slime appear hungry!!!

(Glittering Slime MoM/Myth)