Dungeon Saga

Season 1: Dwarf Kings Quest

Dornwich Dale

Tome of Valandar- Ruins of Valandor

Episode 101a: Journey from the North

16 Cuersaar 813 P.D.
40 miles north east of Drynna in Dornwich Dale

After the Battle of Dornwich Dale, in which an Orc Horde engaged forces from Drynna,
four warriors of that battle went south in search of adventure. One was Orlaf, a beserker from
Jorenn Village. His only wish is to return to the village stronger and rid the town of the corrupt
Shadewatch. The second is the dwarf Rordin, from the Cliffkeep Mountains in the far north.
Another is Danor, a red robes wearing mage from Westruun. Lastly is Madriga, a shy elven
warrior from the forests of Parchwood Timberland.
Shortly after the battle, Rordin and the party was told of Valandor and how someone is
trying to get Valandor's secrets. A wizard by the name of Mortibris is disgracing and defiling
Valandor's sacred sites. They were asked by the Lodge, community leaders of Drynna, after the
battle to find one site nearby and make sure that Mortibris, a sorcerer, is not there, and seal the
site if possible.

18 Cuersaar 813 P.D.

30 miles south of Drynna ruins along the Mooren Lake

The necromancer’s lips moved without sound as he caressed the intricate runes and magi-
cal symbols carved into the door. He carried no torch- not because of the glow that throbbed
from the door as he worked, it’s because he had long since stopped needing light to see by. So
lost was he in his task, so eager to gain entrance and continue his quest, that he almost missed it.
A disturbance in the upper levels of the hold. Something, no someone had broken in. He gave
an irritated grunt and sent a tendril of awareness up to the entrance, feeling, probing in the dust
of ages and long ago battles. There! With a twitch of his senses he gifted a spark of life to the
bones that lay there. He returned to the door, confident that whatever fools had broken in,
would be no more.
 “All I’m saying is, you could have waited a few more moments and I would have had it
opened.” Grumbled Rordin to Orlaf. Minutes earlier Orlaf had destroyed the entrance, and set
off a trap that split the group in half. Rordin grabbed a torch from his pack, lit it and immedi-
ately saw bones. At least four piles of bones, but something was wrong, they were moving.
Probably rats he thought. Not rats.
Orlaf said, “Rising dead, attack.” Both he and the dwarf attacked. They fought and de-
feated the four skeletons. Rordin pointed south and said, “Only one way to go.”

Episode 101b: Journey from the East

Well this hadn’t gone as planned, thought Danor. Within minutes, the four had been split
into two groups of two. The Dwarf King said this ruin was rumored to contain the Tome of
Valandor and riches. Riches worth breaking in and taking. Although those rumors also told of
an evil here, one that didn’t like intruders. But, thought Danor, we survived the battle, we’re
strong, we can handle anything.
Danor cast a light spell with his staff. Just in time too, for from four different corners of
the hall, emerged four skeletons. He felt an impact on his left arm, and looked, just a scratch.
He saw Madriga fire off an arrow, it struck one skeleton, who broke into pieces. Danor cast a
flame bolt spell and destroyed another skeleton. Before either could attack again, two of the un-
dead were upon them, swords swinging. Madriga was hit, she twisted with the blow, came up
and struck the attacker hard with her bow. It fell to pieces. The range was close enough that
Danor cast a burn spell that destroyed the last skeleton.
Through another door and they were facing another group of undead. Danor was hit
again, but in the end the two were victorious.
After taking a moment to rest, they headed onwards. Two groups that were separated
moments ago, will soon be reunited. They just have to survive hallways of skeletons.
After battling a hallway of skeletons, the two parties meet. An archer skeleton rises be-
hind Madriga, shoots and injures her. Danor turns casts a burn spell, which turns the attacker
into a pile of ash. Danor casts a break ward on a shelf which reveals a healing potion and spider
silk armor. The armor is given to Madriga, who is injured and the potion to Orlaf, who is seri-
ously injured. Orlaf breaks open a door to a large room, inside is an armored skeleton and four
zombies. The zombies immediately attack, Orlaf is struck again, almost goes down, but
doesn’t. With a large swing, Orlaf strikes and tells the two zombies facing him. From behind,
Danor casts a hold spell on the armored skeleton, a burn spell and flame bolt spells on the last
three attackers. The remaining zombies burn to ash, and the skeleton freezes in place. This
give Rordin the time he needs to finish off the held skeleton, which he does.
“Let’s rest awhile and heal our wounds. It seems someone doesn’t want us here.” Says
Danor. Madriga agrees. The four sit around the table in the center of the room for a little while.
Finally Rordin says, “We shouldn’t get too comfy, let’s head out.” Orlaf stretches as he
rises, Danor puts his spell book away, and Madriga says nothing as she strings her bow.
Episode 102: Into the Depths
The seal crumbled in a flash of powdered rock as the incantation ended, the syllables
dragging across his vocal cords like a dagger over silk. With a flick of his hand, the door
swung open. Stale air rushed to meet him, but he didn’t care, air no longer mattered to him. He
was getting close now, he could feel it.
He was dimly aware at the back of his mind that in the levels above, his minions were be-
ing cut down by those interlopers he noticed earlier. He sent forth tendrils of his essence to his
most power lieutenants, one word, Kill. The large undead troll was difficult to reanimate, their
very biology fighting to restore them back to life and interfering with the process. It had taken
him years of study to perfect the technique. He entered the room, trusting his undead to deal
with the intruders.
The battle was long and the undead troll was not too tough to kill, the difficult part of the
battle came with the dwarf revenants.
“He went this way.” Says Madriga rising from next to a door. Once the rooms were
cleared, she began her search. With all the undead around, the four knew someone else was in
the keep too, Danor suggested it was a necromancer, named Mortibris. Orlaf, not knowing
what that was just replied, “As long as I can kill ‘em.” What the party did not know was this
was already a dead wizard. A lich is what they will call it when they face it.

Episode 103: Restless Guardian

As they entered the crypt, a chill passed through Orlaf. Superstition hadn’t held him in
its grip for many years, but he couldn’t help but wonder as to the significance. The room was
dominated by a huge stone pillar, inscribed with runes that seemed to dance as Orlaf looked
upon them.
Beside him, Madriga hissed a bitter curse in her Elven tongue and spat on the floor.
Donor though, was able to read some of the runes. “This is… This is incredible.”
“What is Danor?” Asks Madriga.
His response was stopped, because of the wail that bounced off the walls of the chamber.
Suddenly a Screeching ghostly figure dissolved out of the wall. Orlaf quickly dropped to his
knees. Rordin was frozen in place, only Madriga and Danor were unaffected.
Madriga fired off 2 arrows before she realized they just passed through the insubstantial
form. Danor meanwhile ran around the chamber counting. When he got back to Madriga, Ror-
din and Orlaf had gathered themselves, “I’ll explain more later, but we have to get these doors
open and gather the stone tablets together.” Without further explanation the four split up and
took a door. Meanwhile a ghost rose from the floor near Madriga. This ghost was not immune
to arrows and disappeared after being struck.
Orlaf got one door open and broke the skeleton apart that was guarding a chest. Danor
was having trouble with his door, Orlaf went over and said, “You get the stone from over there,
I’ll get the door open.” Orlaf raised his club and began beating down the door. Minutes later
the door was in pieces, and Danor had returned with one tablet.
Madriga was having difficulty, she had not even reached her door. Three skeletons had
risen from bones and began attacking her. She was severely wounded, when Orlaf came and
helped destroy the skeletons.
Rordin returned with another stone tablet, while Orlaf broke down another door.
The banshee wail started again, this time Madriga fell to the floor. With the wounds she
already took, this could kill her. Orlaf was frozen in place and could not move, but Danor
rushed to Madriga’s side and administered aide. She will survive, unless there is something
else…
Rordin returned with the third stone and Orlaf got the last. Like a puzzle, each of the four
stone pieces were joined together. Then the screams of the tortured spirit faded into silence.
After a pause Orlaf asked, “What was that?”
To which Danor replied, “Elshara.”
Madriga then rose from the floor, “You don’t mean Valandor’s wife?”
Orlaf and Rordin stayed quiet, knowing Danor would soon explain.
“Yes, Valandor’s wife.” Danor looked to Orlaf and Rordin, then told the story of Val-
andor. “Valandor was a great warrior about one thousand years ago. He died in the Great War
of the Races, but in death there was a lasting peace between elves, men, and dwarves. The
elves of Syngorn claim to have his mortal remains in their highest tower. The remains show no
sign of decay or evil corruption. The dwarves claim to have his mighty axe that was crafted in
the forges of Kraghammer. And the humans of Emon, claim to have his armor and shield. Ac-
cording to the runes, this place holds the Tome of Valandor. A book handed down from the
gods themselves.”
“A book is a book, what can it do?” Asks Orlaf.
“This tome is what gave Valandor his power. It’s what brought peace between the
races.”
“Well that’s not a bad thing, why guard it like this?”
“Because that same book, if evil got hold of it, would bring chaos instead of order.”
“We must stop this evil from gaining this book.” Says Madriga, and they all agreed.
“What happened to Elshara?”
“She is free and could finally go to her well-deserved rest in the beyond. By bringing the
pieces of her heart together, we told Elshara that we would be the protectors of the Tome of
Valandor.”

Episode 104: Left or Right

The battle with the banshee had taken its toll on all of them. But now, they all knew what
was at stake, and they hadn’t a moment to lose.
 Before Elshara departed, she had quickly touched the mind of the Elven warrior Madriga.
Unlike a normal shade, Elshara knew full well what she was doing, but it was her duty to pro-
tect the Tome. But Elshara also showed Madriga a short cut. It was dangerous, but time was of
the essence.
Outcome:
The shortcut paid off, there were no collapses and the party made it one step closer to
stopping Mortibris.

Episode 105: Stench of Death

Having taken the short cut, left the party facing two trolls and the undead orc wizard
K’Drak
Outcome:
On his turn, Orlaf got an interrupt and will left with 0 HP. The dwarf was next, he
missed, but Madriga was firing 3 arrows per turn and on this turn was able to stop K’Drak.
Madriga gave Orlaf a healing potion, which revived him of 1 HP, so the party was successful…
barely.

Episode 106: Turned Around

Mortibris examined the last rune on the door, his undead cracked lips silently mouthed
the words of magic. Beyond this door is my last hurdle. This will be one more step closer to
gaining the Tomb of Valandor, but those so called heroes are close. Time to let the Hold do
some of the work.
Mortibris paused in his work. Called upon a zombie nearby. Mortibris knew the dwarfs
had many fine traps and mechanisms in place to catch the unwary invader. The zombie moved
down the hall to another room, found a wooden arm and pulled the lever. Clanking and grind-
ing echoed around the caverns.
Madriga felt the infinitesimal shift of the stone even as Rordin yelled out a warning. Too
late! The stone began falling.
“RUN!” Shouted Madriga. Knowing the door at the far end was their only escape. But
between them and the door were skeletons and she also saw two trolls.