Sessions 44-46 Thule Finale M2 2215 AR

 Vorstag makes friends with 'Viondor' (the Rakshasa Shilpatel) despite her betrayal attempts. Vorstag & Finnris help Viondor defeat attacking Hyperboreans, killing Cryllor dra-Ignith and capturing two Pale Hand Reavers. Return to Quodeth with gifts from Viondor including tomes of Atlantean history. Knowledge gained from the Hyperborean captives reveals much of the Pale Hand and its plans; Grand Vizier Dredan Taroth believes this may avert the coming of the Great Doom for decades at least.

Session 43 To the Lost Tower. XP 8-12-16

 28/1: Joined by magically-transported Zerda, heroes & giants ambush Hyperboreans & Frost Corpses near the cliffs, defeating scout group killing a Hyperborean & 10 frost corpses. The main Hyperborean force retreats to find another way, giving the group about a day's head start. Head inland.

30/1: Travelling up into the mountains upriver, around mid-day reach a rift gorge.

As the river valley ascends into the interior of Nimoth, the

snowfields which once dusted the shoulders of the hillsides

slowly creep lower and lower until they reach the valley

floor. Dark peaks streaked with snowfields and hanging

walls of ice loom close by, peeking over the hills on either

side of the Dauthur’s valley. The vegetation that was plentiful

in the lower valley has dwindled to dwarf pines, lichen,

and clumps of scrub grass clinging to crevices in the rock.

Crusted snow lingers in every shadowed eave, and the

backwaters of the river are now iced over in places. Even

amid the rapids a rime of ice lingers.

Ahead of you, the river passes through a narrow canyon

between 100-foot cliffs. The canyon is only about 30 feet

wide at its floor, and the river fills it with a swift, strong

stream.

A narrow valley with ruins and a tower atop high cliffs, snowy ruins on the valley floor. 

Beyond the canyon lies a small, steep-sided vale. To the

west, the Drauthur descends down from a great snowfield

on the flanks of a mountain—this is the source of the river.

To your east, on the shoulder of the mountain, stands a battered

stone tower of ancient workmanship, proud and lonely

amid the snows. Directly ahead of you on the valley floor lie

the snowy ruins of several stone buildings, clustered around

a large cave mouth in the wall of the vale underneath the

looming tower. Wisps of steam escape from the cave.

A fierce manticore attacks, but is stunned by Kasumi and swiftly slain. A steamy cave leads up into the roots of the Lost Tower.

The cave rises more than 100 feet into the side of the

crag. A small rivulet of hot water trickles down the passage

from the interior. About halfway along its length, the

passage transitions from a natural fissure to a large, circular

tunnel 15 feet in diameter bored out of the rock. At the

end of the tunnel, you find a mass of iron pipes and valves,

dripping with scalding water. In the middle of the pipes sits

a 6-foot-tall round metal hatch with a round hand-wheel in

its center. The hatch evidently leads deeper into the mountain,

but it isn’t clear what the purpose of the pipes around

it might be. There is also a large automaton armored in

heavy iron plates that stands in front of the piping and the

hatch. It regards you in silence.