BLOOD AND SOULS FOR MY LORD ARIOCH : ELRIC OF MELNIBONE
WAYNE'S
WORLD
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BLOOD AND SOULS FOR MY LORD ARIOCH : ELRIC OF MELNIBONE WAYNE'S
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The Valley of the Earth Mother Where guile deceives the gullible, the balance is restored and an artifact is recovered. Autumn 2,302 Meldigian Reckoning The village of Dungaelen is situated on the north side of the Blue Hills, 16 miles south of the River Gimm, within the boundaries of the lands of the City State of Irilian. The village is a fort town constructed behind an earthen rampart on which is a palisade of sharpened logs. The people of Dungaelen are descendant from settlers originating in the Realm of Stonefist. As a result of their religion is Druidic. Given the hostile nature of the lands settled the village is led by a "war leader" (Lord Vortimax) who is elected by the people and he is advised by a council of Druids. (Led by Avanthus). When the party reaches the village they are challenged by guards on the gatehouse towers. The guards recognise Beal and the party is allowed in where they are met by Lord Vortimax and the Druid Avanthus. The party is led to the home of Lord Vortimax and over horns of strong mead is told that the village has lately been harassed by orc raiders. Initially the raids were few in number but have increased of late and further Avanthus through arcane means claims that an army of orcs is on the march and will soon reach Dungaelen. Lord Vortimax adds that though the defenders of the town are brave they are few in number and he doubts that the people of Dungaelen can long defend there log ramparts against the enemy. Avanthus though thinks the town can be saved. He tells you "To the east only a days travel along the edge of the Blue Hills is a religious stronghold which was once called the valley of the Earth Mother. It was built under a hill, out of which flowed a sacred spring possessing great powers of healing. The spring was blessed by the goddess of life herself. The druids of the valley followed the old ways of the Earth Mother, holding all life sacred and striving to preserve it. The stronghold was taken by force a decade ago by priests of the lord of death whose name cannot be said. The druids were slaughtered and evil rules there now. The stronghold is now called the Tor. The druids of the valley possessed a magical relic of great power; a Torc of the Gods. This torc has powers that could help us to drive away the orc army. It is believed that the Torc still remains in the stronghold though unusable by those who now called the stronghold the Tor. The party is asked if they could reclaim the Torc and thus help to save the village from destruction. The party agrees to this quest and is joined by a wandering half elven druid named Pharin Phantalasmanas. The party travels to the Tor encountering bands of orcs along the way. In one ambush many of the parties horses are slain however some orcs are captured and questioned. The party learns from a dying orc something about "victory will belong to the dark noble" and the name Arron is mentioned. The trail passes through a canyon which widens into a valley. This valley has been razed of all animal and plant life, with the once ancient trees lying blackened by fire and rotting on the ground. Smoking piles of vegetation spot the valley indicating that no plant life is allowed to grow here. In the center of the valley is a broad, foreboding hill of stark stone, obviously the Tor, which is crowned by a circle of huge stone monoliths. A dark opening reached by steps lies halfway up it’s southern face. A stream of thick red liquid, later found to be blood, flows down a channel cut into the center of the stairway, and then into the valley stream. The party assaults the Tor and battles evil clerics and evil rangers (huntsmen wearing animal hoods). They learn the name of the revered god of the clerics is Arawn, the Celtic god of Death. An illusionist, the leader of the Tor, is encountered who creates havoc with his powerful illusionary foes before been slain. Also encountered is a half-orc named Strengul who claims to have been held by force. The party strike a bargain with him and allow him to leave, despite finding tattoos on his body linking him with the tribe of the orcs already fought. The party also discovers that the former high priest of the Tor disappeared recently and after searching his rooms discover his name to be Gershus Kock and that he was researching spells to enact lichdom. Further it is fund that in the lower levels of the Tor the evil priesthood is working on the creation of an army of undead, using an evil magical cauldron in which are cast bodies which then rise from the cauldron as undead. This "undead cauldron" disappeared at the same time as the high priest. These undead are to be used with the humanoid armies to lay waste to the lands and with the plentiful supply of corpses that warfare provides the priests army will grow to be a feared blight upon the land and will thus give them great power. The party descends into the lower levels of the Tor balttling roaming priests and undead. A trapped treasure room is found which proves dangerous as flame strikes are called down upon unbelievers and the party is later trapped in the sealed treasure room. Luckily Pharin uses his druidic cunning to free the party. A pit is discovered which leads to the burrows beneath the temple from which emanates a strong sense of evil. The party descends into the burrows and here amongst the crypts encounter foul undead of great power including ghouls, ghasts and wights. The most powerful wight, the undead legacy of the huntsmen warlord is battled and destroyed and from him is taken magical platemail armour and a magic sword - a fearsome opponent indeed. Later a room is discovered in which, upon a dais, is the undead cauldron. From this rose a specter which the party luckily managed to destroy following which they also destroyed the cauldron. Another room is found in which seated upon a thronelike stone chair is a robed skeleton holding a mace. Gershus Kock himself has been found bearing the hideous skeletal grin of a lich. The party upon seeing this dreadful creature rise from it’s seat flee in terror. Battle is later joined and the party realises that Gershus Kock does not have the powers of a lich but is however a powerful undead creature anyway. Gershus Kock is destroyed and a search of his throne room discover his notes of plans to achieve lichdom and to command a nation of undead. What went wrong with his transformation into lichdom is a mystery. A final room is found which is menacingly evil in appearance. The walls are black and the columns supporting the roof resemble twisted, withered and blackened trees. From each "tree" hangs a brazier which burns with a blood red flame. The northern end of the room is a semi-circular pool filled with blood. In the center of the back wall of this pool is a pedestal upon which is a statue of the god Arawn, grim faced wearing an iron crown and bearing a club. On either side of the statue are stone obelisks. From the sides of these obelisks water is found to be leaking. The party moves the obelisks aside to allow fresh spring water to flood into the pool. As the blood pool dilutes a decanter from which the blood is issuing is found the bottom of the pool. This is stoppered and the defilement of the natural spring is stopped. The part drinks from the spring and discover it’s amazing healing powers. Water is splashed on the statue of Arawn which precipitates an amazing transformation. The black stone first becomes gray and then white. Its form writhes and warps. It becomes softer, slender, curved and graceful - the form of a beautiful woman carved in white stone. Ringed around her neck is the Torc of the Gods. The appearance of the room also changes. The walls become white and the columns become real wood and put out leaves - they are actually living trees. The flames go out and soft pearly light fills the room radiating from the statue. The Torc is now recovered however the planned battle of Dungaelen is soon to commence if information found before can be relied upon. Pharin flies back ahead of the party as does Caldo. The rest made way on ground as quickly as they can, any delay could be the downfall of the village of Dungealen.
Credit : This adventure was based on "Valley of the Earth Mother" by Lise Breakey that appeared in Dragon Magazine #102 1985. |
