Chapter 5: Return to the Surface

The dwarf, Ernig Stoutshield by name, leads you through a number of twisting passages toward the Iron Tabernacle, chattering all the while. As you make your way through, you are stunned by the size of the place. The way you figure it, the journey to the Tabernacle must have been over a mile altogether.

"Ah, here we are, brother," Ernig says happily, clapping Elfog on the shoulder as you enter the main chamber of the Iron Tabernacle. You are immediately overwhelmed by the size of the place, which is filled with massive statues, grand archways leading to other areas, and a multitude of altars.

Priests mill about, speaking to the visitors and offering praise to the dwarven gods. As you enter the room, you are confronted by a dwarven ghost, which stares at you for a full twenty seconds, then bows low while looking at the axe strapped across your back and makes his way out through a wall.

Ernig chuckles, "Suppose I shoulda warned ye about that. There's quite a few o' them ghostly fellas around here. Most of 'em seem to be harmless, but don't go wandering too far from the main room here, just in case."

"Ah, there be priests all about, just look for the ones in robes, girl," the guard says to Hunter, pointing around the room to show where are few are near to you.

"Lots o' them around, can't rightly say what they want, but they seem harmless," the guard assures Elfog.

Mai'ngor - Great Forge
Mai'ngor makes his way to the fabled great forge. Along the way, he is given several odd glances by some of the dwarves, but largely left alone. When he first enters the great forge, he sees that it is a huge chamber with many screened off sections leading off from it.

It is almost unbearably hot, and the noise of working forges is constant. Looking about, he sees carts of ore waiting to be worked by the master dwarven smiths. Scattered about the place are raised daises and shallow pits all connected by crisscrossing catwalks, mixed with a genius set-up of pulleys for easy transportation of goods, supplies, and water around the forge area.

Then he sees an almost unbelievable sight; the anvils are made of pure adamantine!

Hunter - Iron Tabernacle
A priest hears your words and listens patiently, then sticks a finger in his ear, "Eh, what's that"? he says in common to Hunter with a slightly confused look.

Elfog - Iron Tabernacle
Ernig smiles, "Ah, it's always time for holy water, me friend!" he says, and then leads you off into another chamber, where you are served alcohol. After the first taste, you are convinced that this is the finest ale you've ever had!

Hunter
"Hmm... There are certain spells that could remove a curse, I suppose," the dwarf priest says after a minute's thought.

Hunter
"Nothin' really, just a powerful enough priest. It don't work on every curse, though. Some o' them are harder to remove."

Mai'ngor
The anvil stands unguarded, and Mai'ngor is able to get up to it to view its incredible workmanship. You figure that just one of these is worth enough money to feed a good-sized town for months, if not longer.

Hunter
"Well, I'd take it to the high priest, if I were yer friend."

Mai'ngor walks around until he finds a master smith at work and stops to watch. He is immediately impressed, as the dwarf works tirelessly on a beautiful suit of plate armor, sized for a dwarf. His hammer never slows and his focus doesn't waver, showing patience for the craft that very few outside of dwarfkind will ever know.

Eventually he pauses to takes a drink of a flask of whiskey at his side, and then he notices Mai'ngor watching, "Oy there, never seen one o' your kind around here. Like what ye see? Practicin' for a suit o' mail I'm gonna give to King Bruenor hisself!" he says proudly with a wide toothy smile on his face.