Deep into the Cloakwood, Aegon and the Troupe are getting close to the Iron Throne’s mine. Accosted by Blacktalons and wyverns, the troupe now have to fight their way through, to find the mine. To find Tazok. To find Gorion’s murderer.
13 Eleasias 1368
We awaken on the east bank of the river, our rest undisturbed. This area was guarded by Blacktalons. The mine must be on this side.
It isn’t long before another Blacktalon finds us. Eldoth kills him, but not before he can call out for help.
Two more archers show up, bows at the ready. As missiles fly between us and the Blacktalons, I ask the Weave to inspire Horror in our foes.
One of them runs away in panic, and Eldoth kills the braver of the pair.
These Blacktalons are better equipped than others we have encountered thus far, enchanted arrows, Arrows of Ice, even his long bow and chain mail are enchanted. They must be guarding something big. I notice that Eldoth took an arrow to his should during the fight, so I use Corellon’s blessings to heal him.
We find the Blacktalon that ran away, still cowering in fear.
This time I manage to strike the killing blow.
We are ambushed by another Blacktalon who must have heard all the commotion. Despite his lack of fear, he is felled quickly by our arrows.
We come across another bridge leading back to the other side of the river. We aren’t sure if we should continue to the east or cross back over – the mine could be in either direction. We decide it’s worth crossing back to check what’s on the other side.
We find a small wyvern. These beasts keep giving us a run for our money, so I quickly heal myself before preparing a barrage of Magic Missiles.
The Missiles hit, but don’t kill the beast. As its blows glance off my buckler, arrows and bullets fly from the others on the bridge.
Though it is hard to tell who killed it, Coran’s arrow is the last to hit the wyvern before it drops dead. He draws his Mind-Swift-As-Weasels, excited to collect yet another trophy.
It isn’t long before we are attacked by another wyvern. I prepare more Magic Missiles as it closes in on us.
One barrage hits, but it seems to ignore them and swoops in on me. As I dodge its blows I manage to fire off another set of Magic Missiles.
This still doesn’t finish the fight, and the wyvern strikes me with a claw before White ends its life.
I heal myself up again before we move on.
Two more wyverns swoop in after us. Perhaps seeking vengeance, but more likely looking for food.
I use my Wand of Fire to summon up a column of fire that blasts through both wyverns, burning the flesh underneath their scales. Coran hits with his Arrows of Ice – we will slay these beasts with freezing and with flame.
They pursue me as I back away, ensuring that the flames consume them with every step the take.
One succumbs to its burning flesh, and the other is badly burnt.
It tries to fight on, but lacks the strength to continue. White claims another wyvern kill.
I am wounded once more, so Faldorn asks Nature to regenerate my body. I feel my wounds closing up as my vitality returns to me.
We think ourselves safe when two more wyverns drop on us. White claims another’s life before they can do us any harm.
The second falls to a lucky shot by Eldoth. The arrow goes straight through its scaled eye into the back of its skull. I wonder if Coran may be upset he damaged his trophy.
This fighting has attracted a pack of wolves that rush upon us. The smell of wyvern’s blood must be sending them into a frenzy.
Coran kills one wolf, but the rest of the pack continue to pursue us.
The death of a second wolf sends the rest of the pack into a retreat.
Coran slays one more as they run away for good measure. They shouldn’t be back.
This side of the river is filled with wyverns and other wilderbeasts. We haven’t seen a Blacktalon for a while now. Faldorn agrees, the Iron Throne’s mine must be to the east. We return to the bridge and cross back over the river.
East of the river we come across a large cave. A large trail of blood leads inside, and the stench of rotting flesh wafts out from the cave. Claw marks on the stone give us clear signs this is a wyvern’s nest.
Coran is eager to lead the charge, but I hold him back. The visions have returned and all I can see are deaths at the hands of a powerful wyvern. We throw everything we have at them, but they are great in number and overwhelm us.
Coran still wants to go inside, but I insist that there is only death inside. The wyverns we have encountered outside the nest have already been tough enough. We can’t fight a whole family of them. Eventually Coran concedes, but only on the promise that we will return once we have dealt with the mine.
We travel to the east for four hours, and Coran refuses to shut up about the wyvern’s nest.
I tell him that I doubt they will leave the nest, and it seems that they are infesting this wood. There is no way we can wipe them out.
He eventually falls silent as we come across a stream. No, it looks more like…
A moat. Surrounding a motte-and-bailey castle. Is this the place we are searching for? Our answer comes quickly in the form of another group of Blacktalons.
Coran strikes one of the bandits down, and I ask the Weave to put the rest to Sleep.
They fall unconscious and we pick them off one by one.
The last bandit manages to awaken and thrusts his sword into my gut. I take a step back and call upon Corellon’s blessing to restore the wound.
Faldorn is somewhat excited to have finally found the mine. She expresses her anger rather vividly.
Aegon: Step it up, people! Onward, to punish the heretics!
Faldorn: Grrr! Today we for Silvanus and for the Great Mother! My pack, may your strength never fail you!
She’s ready to charge right across the moat and into the castle, but I suggest a more tactical approach. If we want to take out the mine, we need to approach carefully. We decide to follow the moat around to get a lay of the land before we assault the Iron Throne’s mine.
To the east of the fortress we find a small group of tasloi. Of all the threats we’ve faced in this wood, these are not one of them.
After killing them we wander around to the north and come across a pack of wolves. They pay us no mind.
However, after they see us following their path, a few of them become a little territorial. We are forced to kill them, despite Faldorn’s protestations.
We are then accosted by an armoured man who seems to be a Blacktalon on patrol.
Aegon: I am Aegon and this is my party of fellow adventurers.
Lakadaar: What is your purpose here?
Aegon: We have heard rumours of wyverns hereabout.
Lakadaar: Wyverns?
Aegon: Yes. With fearsome fangs and enough poison in its tail to kill a horse ten times over.
Lakadaar: Uh, excuse me, I have some pressing business to attend to elsewhere.
He leaves us to our wyvern hunt. I’m surprised that worked so close to the fortress, but perhaps he wasn’t a Blacktalon after all?
Coran decides that this is a good time to question one of my leadership choices.
Aegon: Whatever do you mean? I credit my leaving Candlekeep with discovering numerous things. I’d almost go as far as calling my adventures a University of Life.
Coran: Phew. You know nothing if you continue to buy cheap wine.
Aegon: Coran, we can barely afford the necessities! I can’t waste money on Everquissit.
Coran: A pity. It would have come in handy a couple of times.
I have an idea. Why don’t you let me buy our wine? I can practically swear I can get you the best prices with any merchant.
Aegon: Alright, but I’ll be the one to keep a hand on the strings of the purse.
Coran: Or, surely, on the strings, very good…
Coran grins knowingly. Of course he’s going to get the best price, but at what cost?
Our banter is interrupted by the charge of two brown bears. We kill one as they close in on us, and I draw Bashrik’s Hammer to face off against the second.
I take a couple of its paws to the face, but am only scratched a little. Eldoth drops the bear, only for another to show up. A black bear this time.
This bear charges right for me and forces me to the ground. Its teeth lock around my chest and Helga rushes in to heal me. The glow of the magic and the arrows embedded in its hide cause it to turn tail and flee.
We don’t let it get away, however. More violent bears in this wood. We had thought it the hamadryad causing their hostility, but perhaps it is something else.
We hear another roar and spot a fourth bear thirsty for our blood. This one is accompanied by a warrior wearing the colours of the forest. A druid? Is it a druid turning the bears against intruders?
As they approach the druid calls out to us, challenging our presence here.
Aegon: Such as us? What are you talking about?
The Arch Druid: Don’t try to lie to me, only those of the Iron Throne traverse these woods now.
Archdruid or no, he doesn’t recognise Faldorn. Nothing is going to prevent this fight.
We kill the bear first. Now we can focus on the druid. We have to act quickly as he is calling upon Nature for help.
We interrupt his spell with a flurry of arrows. He is hurt, but he is showing no signs of stopping soon.
As yet another bear joins the fight, the archdruid manages to get another spell from Nature and Holds myself and Helga in place. Thankfully, I am able to resist the spell’s effects.
I struggle to hold off the bear and Faldorn, on seeing I am wounded, asks Nature to Regenerate my body as we battle.
Faldon then attempts to confused the archdruid with her Rigid Thinking, but he is able to resist the effect. Nature is not picking sides in this fight.
I am barely alive, only kept standing by Faldorn’s spell, as the bear is slain. The archdruid attempts to Hold me again, but I resist once again.
Without Nature on either side, I press onto him with my hammer. He draws his scimitar and cuts across my stomach. I am near death, but I am not going to give in.
Coran and Eldoth sink arrows into his chest and he lets out one last gasp before he drops to his knees and keels over.
I stop and catch my breath as I watch my wounds slowly close up. We wait as Helga is still Held in place. It was the archdruid angering the bears, turning them against the invaders. We may be here to shut down the mine, but we are still seen as invaders. The same as these Blacktalons and bandits. The same as those who murdered father.
But, that’s not me. That’s not me at all.
It’s time to end this once and for all. I will destroy this mine from the inside out. Whatever father’s killer has planned, I plan to stop him.
