Chapter 2: Into the Alps

Chapter 2: Into the Alps (three sessions)

Charged by the enigmatic Stefano de Medici to relieve precious 'family heirlooms' from the vault of Augustus in the Alps, the companions make the perilous journey in the dead of winter. Sailing up the River Inn, they were accosted by the henchmen of the Bavarian Duke, Louis the Bearded. The quick thinking Seighard used mystical alchemy to sever the chain blocking the river. Forestalling the alarmed boatmen, who were about to throw the apparent witch overboard, the decisive Miklos stepped in and proclaimed the act a miracle of St Hildebrand! Now heroes, they made use of the libraries of Innsbruck to learn the lives of Saints and made their way deeper into the Alps, toward the slopes of Mt Innesfreis.

Encamped there, they were assailed by cultists, who conjured a fell red mist, sending it roiling up the mountain slopes toward where they slept. Luckily, the companions were forewarned by their watch and avoided the trap, circled around and sprung a trap of their own. Thus followed a series of running battles amidst the firs of the snow covered valley. Until they espied the cultists base in some caves. The companions made their stealthy way inside, made pretence of being a returning patrol, jumped the guards and made their entry. There they wreaked their vengeance upon the black hearted diabolists, until their story was nearly ended prematurely by the intervention of a pagan Knight, in Antlered helm. His supernatural skill saw him near sever the life of Thom Ecke, before that red armoured warrior was laid low. Brought back to health by good rest, food and Elixers of Salubriance, poor Thom was near laid low once more by a trio of cultists lying in Ambush in the lower level.

There, enshrouded in supernatural darkness, they did find the entrance to the tomb of Divine Augustus. Within it's portals they found a twisting set of trap filled corridors, puzzles and wealth almost beyond their capacity to carry it. After the rash Hans Vohrberg lost his hand in an inky dark sphere, they near quit the locale in disgust and after near dying to a cloud of poisonous gass ponder whether to go forth or retreat empty handed....

Continued in Ch. 3: The Dragon's missing trinket...