After a long rest, we continue deeper into the mountain, where we will attempt to stop the enemies plans, and to save any dwarves we can find from Jekk Ironfist’s party. He asks about his brother, if his remains can be carried out. His brother’s hammer, “Moonbain,” can be kept by Thork if found.

Once into the physical mines, we find a tunnel hewn more recently than the others. We dismiss it for now opting to go towards the tunnel with more traffic. Roland’s rat familiar has found one Duergar standing guard on what looks to be another mining tunnel.

No sounds of hammers or picks have been heard.

In the attempt to ambush the lone guard, the armored warriors gave out their position, bravely, and when they knew the gig was up, Thork used his performance skill to lure the villain into the closeness of the cavern they were in, in from the open space where he was standing guard.

But that all changed.

At the edge of their vision, the Elves of our party saw an evil beast. It had the body of a large spider, the upper body of a dark elf.

It was going to be a bad night for the arachnids.

The enemy advances, poison bites and javelins inbound. From the darkness emerge two spider riding Duergar. The fight continues. Two invisible Duergar attack Thork with advantage, blocking the tunnel into the open area. The enemies go down, we have triumphed.

Thork takes a single Vambrace from the Duergar that was standing guard, it has a hammer emblazoned upon it (one time use of Spiritual Weapon). Jo-Bu finds a golden lantern upon the ground across from our entry tunnel into the open cavern. (Lantern of Revealing.) 17gp

We spend a few minutes regathering our strength, and continue on.

Randle’s familiar examines two of the mine tunnels here, looks to be spider pits for nesting.

We continue into a room that has had an industrious woodworking endeavor. Sawdust fills the room, two 50" siege ladders part of the fruit of their labor. Axes and other wooden handled tool and weapons are strewn around. Sawhorses and other woodworking tools are a-strewn. There is a moving water in one side of the room, a door, and two other tunnels exit. From one of those tunnels, a Duergar boss, and a minion. They come out swinging and deal damage using their invisibility as an ambush.

A quick stun and a prone Boss maneuver, the party takes the tide. The enemies go down, we have triumphed.

Hark! The cry of villagers! A quick inspection of Randle’s familiar shows it’s not a trap. We unlock the chains keeping them pinned. They are from all over, and are the forced minors to the dark dwarves. Two of them are dwarves from the hold itself.

Potion of Healing. Potion of Climbing. Oil of Resistance.

Firehammer Hold, western Aundair, 18th of Vult, 1008 YK.

Trasker Selarn tells you he is an agent of the Wardens of the Wood, druids from the Eldeen Reaches. He encourages the party to eliminate the rampant and well-armed humanoids in the area. The Wardens are suspicious of dragon activity, which they believe relates to the fulfillment of draconic Prophecy. Wise druids of the Wardens say that an ancient dragon mask, one that humanoids could wear to control a green dragon, is somewhere in Aundair, and is the only way to stop the dragons from a resurgent rulership. He asks the party to keep an eye out for information regarding dragons.

Thirsten knows from local history that any powerful fey magic, such as that which might control a green dragon, would have been of interest to the Floshin family, an exceptionally long-lived elvish family. The current head of the family is Darfin Floshin, a known friend of Kelson Darktreader, the ranger from Wyr who first sent you all on this quest to investigate the gnolls near the Phylund Hunting Lodge.

Marek Silveraxe, a dwarf you met earlier, scoffs that the Druids are meddlesome and theatrical. The immediate threat in the area are only the duergar and their gnoll allies. Their threat to Aundair must be swiftly eliminated, and any ties with Karrnath or the Blood of Vol, a radical sect there that reveres death, must be surfaced and dealt with.

Jekk Ironfist, dwarven hero, wishes to recover the Delimbyr Bloke, a great artifact of dwarven lore. When the party rescues him, he pleads with them to go deeper into the mines below Firehammer Hold and free any of the dwarven brothers who remain from the deadly assault by the duergar.

Ma Kang, an elderly human woman who operates a band of thugs near the abandoned village of Uluvin. The party is convinced there is more to her than just an old woman, but her identity and motivation remains a mystery. Thirsten suspects that Ma is actually a dragon, and suggested this to Trasker Selarn.

The Duke and ruler of Wyr, Maldwyn, has demonstrated eccentric behavior of late. He originally sealed the gates of Wyr to all visitors, demanding that the Delimbyr Bloke be first returned to him. If not for your befriending of the halfling tavern owner Curran Corvalin, you would never have been able to visit the town of Wyr. Clearly Duke Maldwyn believes the bloke is his personal property and must be returned. Per Kelson Darktreader, the half-elf ranger you spoke with last session, the Duke continues to harass the townsfolk and particularly any visitors to Wyr.

Multiple times the party has defeated a necromancer of the Blood of Vol, who has been funding, equipping, and allying with the evil humanoids in the area, including the dastardly duergar, who now occupy the previously peaceful Firehammer Hold. When the party recovered his journal after their first encounter, they learned that he has recruited several warlords to destabilize the area, while he researches more powerful necromancy. He has set up a fortification at some secret location in Aundair.

The party has defeated several of these warlords, a goblin, a gnoll, and a duergar, all of whom exhibited demonic aspects, and turned to sulfurous ash when they were slain. One of these, a goblin shaman, foretold that there are five such creatures.

Bloodgate Keep is the ancient battle site where the gnolls and followers of Vol reportedly are gathering to launch their campaign against western Aundair.