Monastery of the Sundered Chain

After taking a short rest the Company of the Free resumed their arduous journey to the dwarven monastery. When they finally arrived something didn't feel right. There were no sentries and Nalklyr spied a thin column of smoke rising from within the courtyard. Garig pushed open the 30 foot tall double doors.

Within the courtyard numerous orcs were gathered around campfires eating meat which looked suspiciously like humanoid arms and legs. Upon seeing the party the orcs quickly discarded their repulsive food and charged in to battle. The battle was short and bloody. Ben summoned a great ball of magical fire which engulfed several of the orc drudges whilst Nalklyr dispatched the somewhat tougher scouts before there was any opportunity for them to raise the alarm. Alert of any danger the group entered the monastery proper.

Inside was a shocking site. The room they were in was a vast cathedral. There central point of which was a huge statue in the likeness of the Dwarven god Moradin. However, strewn liberally throughout the bloody corpses of the monks littered the area. Cackling in deranged delight an female orcish witch doctor was smearing entrails and filth on the statue. Nalklyr reacted first launching a crossbow bolt at the old crone. She reacted by summoning the vile power of Gruumsh the despicable god revered by the Orcish race blinding the drow. As the other members of he party moved in to the room to close with the witch their attention was drawn to a balcony behind them. Two orcs were perched upon them aiming impossibly large crossbows. Grogar and Garig sensing the threat peeled off to deal with the bolt throwers.

Nalklyr, blinded by the witch could do little besides retreating and summoning a globe of darkness to mask his presence.

The party's predicament became even worse when emerging from behind the statue appeared a squad of orc drudges commanded by an orc sergeant. Ben reacted quickly to the new threat summoning an shadows grasping at the orcs. Several of the drudges dropped dead on the spot their feeble minds unable to resist the deadly illusion..

Garig closed with the crossbowman and pushed him over the edge of the balcony with a well practised maneuver. Melech descended the stairs to finish it off. Meanwhile on the other balcony Grogar and Nalklyr worked together to rain blows upon the second bolt thrower and he was soon dead. The sergeant and the crone however were closing quickly. Ben flung magical rays ice at each target freezing the creatures and rooting them to the spot. With the bolt throwers dealt with the party was easily able to cut down the last two adversaries.

After securing he area the heroes decided to take make camp in the easily defensible area before investigating the secret stairwell behind the statue.

Once rested they made their way down the spiral staircase as quietly as they could manage. This brought them out into a huge hallway with a series of massive pillars flanking it. It was obviously the sleeping quarters of the monks for a series of small chambers lined each side of the hallway. A massive stone statue of a dwarven hero of old dominated the centre of the room, and the corpses of more of the monks were liberally scattered about the place painting the floors red with their blood. Standing around the room arguing were a variety of orcs, however the party's arrival soon distracted them from their bickering and battle was joined.

As usual Garig bravely launched himself into the largest group of foes, whirling and hacking with his axe. Ben uttered the words of a spell which allowed him to rapidly move down the staircase to help his comrade. Once within the room he summoned a fierce flaming sphere amongst the group of orcs. However, on seeing the lightly armoured wizard isolated, a group of cowardly drudges quickly surrounded him raining blow after blow upon the mage. Nalklyr and Melech ran in to the hallway to help their friend quickly cuting down the rag tag group of orcs.

Meanwhile Garig was swamped by the orcs including a berserker which hefted it massive axe with deadly power. To his rear a number of orog militants were fighting in a more disciplined manner attempting to catch the warrior in a potentially fatal pincer movement. Fortunately, Grogar had spotted the danger. He breathed on the drudges blocking his path, blasting them with electricity. He then issued the divine challenge of Kelemvor on the nearest orog which was enough to disrupt their attack formation. Ben now free from the mob of drudges commanded his flaming sphere to attack the berserker shrouding the ferocious beast in magical fire. Nalklyr moved in to position liming the berserker in darkfire and aiming a precise crossbow bolt into it's back as it's primitive mind struggled to cope with the effect. The flaming sphere then finished the berserker. The remaining orogs were then in disarray and we quickly cut down by the heroes.

After quickly searching the area for anything of value the party headed to the far end of the hallway. The came upon a large platform overlooking perched overlooking a great rocky slope. At the bottom of the slope was another platform. Connecting the two were a series of switchback stairs. Unfortunately, the stairs held more orcs. Three bolt throwers stood poised to loose deadly bolts and a Scarred Orog Champion angrily stomped up the stairs towards the comrades, also flapping above a spiretop drake hovered menacingly.

Thinking better of descending the precarious stairway the group held their position on the uppermost platform. Nalklyr managed to snipe the nearest bolt thrower and Ben hurling several ranged spells taking down most of the drudges. The drake then swooped down upon Ben slicing him with its sharp beak and the remaining bolt throwers returning volleys of crossbow bolts, several of which found their mark and hitting with enough power to stagger the target backwards.

Finally, the Orog reached the top of the stairs where the party stood waiting to shove the great beast off the stairs to a rocky death below.First Ben summoned a wave of thunder energy, but the hardy beast shrugged it off. Then Garig bashed it with his shield and Melech followed with a powerful shove. Although knocked to the ground the Orog managed to cling on to the stairs. He stood up and then launched a powerful sweep of his axe catching Grogar, Garig and Melech in the same hit. Garig dodged the blow however Melech took a grievous wound and even worse the blow was powerful enough top push Grogar off the edge of the platform on to the rocks below.

Enraged by the loss of the paladin the companions tore in to the Orog champion quickly tearing him down. Ben blasted the drake with psychic energy exploding it in mid-air, which left just 2 bolt throwers to deal with. Supported by ranged attacks from Nalklyr and Ben the remaining warriors Grogar and Melech carefully edged their way across the stairs. Meanwhile at the next platform across a gauntleted hand reached above the edge as Grogar heaved himself up on to the platform. Miraculously, the Dragonborn had somehow survived the fall off the platform and was now intent on avenging himself on the remaining bolt thrower. The bolt thrower having used all it's quarrels threw it's crossbow to the ground and charged toward the battered and bruised paladin. The bolt thrower died.

The party quickly searched the bodies of the orcs. The orog wore a suit of stoneborn plate armour which Grogar hastily donned casting his battered, and dented old armour aside. "Let's finish this thing" he said with grisly determination.