Dorn's Deep

As the fire giant bears down on the the door, the companions redouble their efforts to move the monsters into Dorn's Deep. With weapons, spells, and muscle they get the first remorhaz through, though it bites down hard on Alalla's shoulder, razor teeth piercing her plate armor.The second remorhaz snaps down at Ras, but Erevain's enlarged shield smashes into the creature's head with enough force to divert the blow and daze the monster. It swoons weirdly, maw flapping, as the companions push it halfway through the doorway.The fire giant rams into the nearest remorhaz at full speed, axe held in two hands before him and massive legs pumping to throw the monster back out into the hall. He only manages to shove it a short distance before Zenithral's magical command overwhelms his senses, and he drops to his knees with a thud. The remorhaz almost seems to smile as it rises up over the giant and unhinges its jaw.

With bellows of alarm, two more fire giant guards enter the tunnel from the far side.

Round 4 Player Phase!!!!

There is little to loot in the room itself. The throne is made of the same black metal that is found throughout Dorn's Deep, one that is likely rare in the rest of the world. Transporting any of the metal out of the dwarvn citadel is likely a feat in and of itself.

There is a an obvious source of treasure, however. Malavon's body is sprawled in the same gruesome position that Ilmadia's spell slew him. The dark elf archmage must have a wealth of magic items on his person.

As Vincent approaches the corpse he notices the nearby golem. The thing has sustained severe damage, but such a powerful magical construct is likely still dangerous - depending on whatever instructions its master willed upon it.

Vincent recognizes that sifting through the archmage's belongings might very well set the golem off. But what treasures might a master of the arcane keep on his person?

The remorhaz furthest into the tunnel strikes as quickly as a snake, wrapping its hard coils tightly around the prone giant and squeezing with immense strength as its teeth bore down into the giant's shoulder, sending a spray of hot blood to slick the floors and walls (G1 takes 43 piercing damage). One of the other giants arrives to aid its trapped companion, enormous axe slamming down to crack chitin and add more bodily ichor to the gory mess rapidly filling the tunnel (R1 takes 60 slashing damage).

With the other remorhaz still dazed from earlier, Alalla and Erevain stand enlarged shoulder to enlarged shoulder and heave. The remorhaz passes through the great stone doorway just as the third giant hurls a boulder of volcanic rock. With frightening accuracy the projectile smashes into the stunned remorhaz's head, then explodes into glass shards (R2 takes 76 bludgeoning damage).

Alalla and Erevain duck back out of the fray and back into the entry hall just in time for Reòthadh to enact the magic of the door and trap the battling behemoths in the tunnel beyond. Dust falls from the ceiling with the crash of each titanic blow heard through the thick door.

Breathing hard from the deadly battle and knowing that some of their friends are presumably still captured within the halls of the dwarven complex, the heroes find themselves wondering what to do next.

The party leaves the entry hall and the sounds of combat, passing up the staircase and out into the blistering, yet familiar, wind of the Spine of the World. Frigid as the air is, the peaks and ridges here have long been the home of Reòthadh, and with little trouble he finds shelter for himself and the others. Having been through a series of ordeals in the past few hours - let alone the past few months! - the group settles down to rest, and also to wait for their missing companions to surface from the depths of Dorn's Deep.

Eventually, as the sun makes its descent below the frosty landscape, a group of figures approaches the camp: the tall and slender form of Vincent, Ug's large and horned frame, and the two small gnomes Nancy and Maralie. Whatever troubles they might have had escaping the fire giants, Vincent saw them safely through.

With all of the companions reunited in the shelter, they continue their rest. As morning light creeps over the horizon, they must decide what is to be done next...