Avalanche!

After a harrowing flight from the Den with the alarm spell blaring in their anxious consciousness, the Fellowship of the Key made their way deeper into the stark landscape of the Greypeaks. Leaving behind the river valley, the cold set in and a stinging snow began to fall during the night as Prex and Kargi led the way with Mother on a makeshift sled. The wind began to whip up fiercely and the group hugged their cloaks close to ward off the chill. Good conditions to deter any who might track them into the mountains, thought Zireael.

As they marched, Safad read aloud from the researcher's journal. The man, Bedouir Coulain, had titled his diary, "Mythic Arms of the Vyshaantar Empire: Field Notes." Evidently Coulain was conducting field research for a project, and seemed to come from an Arcane Library or College. He had found a door of adamantium and suggested that a key--similar to the one in Safad's beltpouch based on the sketches--he had been given from the College was of the type to fit the lock on the door, just not that door. According to the account of the goblins and the dates in the journal, he disappeared 24 years ago, in 1497. 

At dawn, they stopped for a much needed sleep, uncertain if any pursuers were on their trail. As they lay down, visions of metal doors from the researcher’s journal and the Goblin’s map occupied their mind, while their dreams were haunted by blurred visions of constellations, flayed goblins, the old crone smiling, a charred Mother, and the illithid’s cruel voice in their head…

They awoke to the smell of Kargi roasting the morning meal. Game meat on a spit by the smell. Except when they opened their eyes, Kargi was not at the smoldering campfire, and instead both Prex and Kargi were kneeling next to a burning funeral pyre, heads bowed. Dunny was sitting on his haunches nearby and angled his head skyward, letting out a mournful howl. Mother was dead. Her strange totem was atop the blaze.

As they rustled their rigid bodies from beneath the blankets, they hear Prex’s raspy whisper, “she didn’t make it.” He straightened up suddenly, before clearing his throat and announcing solemnly:

“Companions, come, pay your respects to Neervala, Den Mother, devotee of the goddess Lubiya…,” his voice choked before he cleared his throat and then gruffly added, "…and friend.”

Kargi came forward. The usually quiet quartermaster spoke up: “And also…all our brothers who were murdered in our home: Dreecs, Srozz, Claalb, Zruics, Wreald, Chykirk, Bruttasb, Krevox, Kliverd, Driglot, Doilk, Eebs, Tryrd, Aag, Wug, Wriviek, and Gletilk." As he spoke the names he threw scraps of cloth on to the fire.

The weary and grieving party bid a final farewell to Mother and her boys. Rya shuffled over in her blanket, still stiff from the cold night’s sleep. With all the group gathered around, after a minute of silence, staring into the flames, she slowly looked up and spoke. 

“I remember what we were doing in Lakeville. We were training to attack Old Weir.”

"Oh hell," Rook grumbled. The party broke out into discussion and decided the best course of action was to carry on and find this door in the mountain. Kargi reluctantly packed up camp, the usual pep in his soldier's step absent. Zireael and Prex led the group onward. For an unsettling hour or two the snow and flat light from the low clouds knocked even the seasoned Ranger of his bearings. But soon he righted the course by catching a glimpse of one of the more dramatic peaks he had noticed earlier.  Prex sidled up to him and as some of the clouds cleared toward evening and the snow abated he pointed out the other peaks. 

'Mother taught us all the names. That one there is Ghutashk--see how it's fat and round? In the common tongue that means something like, "the Bloated One.' And the one there in the middle is Naggbakz, it means 'shoulder.' 

By this time the group decided it best to set up camp and as they did so Prex continued to tell his companions what Mother had taught them. 

"Oh, and see the really big one in the back there? That's Boo-yag Boo-yag! It means...well, it means, 'The Big One.'" The group laughed and Kargi joined in, chuckling as he pointed out another, "And that one there, it's called Bree-Khala," his laughter interrupted his speech as he breathed in to settle himself, "see it's all pointy? It means, 'Goat's teat!'" He danced around happily, setting up bedrolls as the group joined in his mirth. 

"And Mother taught us that one there, with the three mini-peaks, it's called Mirask Kezh, the 'Eagle's claw.'" At his mention of Mother, Kargi sobered up a little, and seemed to withdraw inward--his smile slackening off his face as he focused on rolling out Nancy's bedroll. Suddenly, a savage ferocity clouded his features. He threw the blankets on the cold snow and turned away from the group. Dunny growled. 

Facing the darkness of the night, with his back to his companions, Kargi said softly, "Mother would be alive if it weren't for all of you."

The party was stunned at this outburst from the ever-professional quartermaster. Kargi turned to face the party and spoke louder this time, "And so would all of our brothers! First we lost Falz, then we lost...everyone, brains torn from their skulls! AND THEN WE LOST MOTHER!"

At this point he was screaming.

"AND FOR WHAT? SOME ADVENTURE AND COIN WITH GREEDY HUMANS AND ELVES AND HALFLINGS AND DWARVES?"

Dunny bared his teeth as Kargi rushed at Dala'gse and pushed him violently. 

"CAPTAIN, WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE ANYMORE?"

Nancy tried to placate him with soothing words but Kargi cut her off and mocked her cruelly. He growled something to Dunny who trotted over to Nancy's bedroll, raised a leg, and pissed a steaming stream of strong ammonic urine all over it. 

Prex took a step forward. As he looked at the scene Kargi was making he looked sad and concerned, but he soon steeled himself and shouted, "TEN HUT. Quartermaster,  remember you are a soldier! Have you forgotten the 87th Mountain?" 

Something in those words reached Kargi, he looked chastened. 

Prex approached him and said gently, "Kargi, Mother told me something last night before she died. Even on her deathbed, her wisdom was great. She said to me: 

'You may want to blame them, to blame your new friends. Do not, my boy. This evil existed apart from them. It would have come for us sooner or later. That it did not take you and young Kargi with the rest of us, it is because of them. These people are touched, work with them, help them find what they seek. Channel your grief and kill the Klashkung! Bless you, child.' 

...and then she died." 

Kargi slumped to the ground. Dunny came by and nuzzled up to him. Kargi put his arms around his wolf and cried into his fur.

Prex said, “Even at our age there is still tears. We are grieving. Forgive him.”

Dala'gse asked what a klashkung was. Prex told him it meant "fucker." 

The group helped set up camp, giving Kargi space. Save Nancy, who asked what he expected her to do with her pissed on bedroll. Prex took care of it. 

The next day the party ventured deeper into the mountains, Zireael keeping Boo-yag in his sights as they steadily climbed higher. As nightfall approached, they passed into the alpine zone, dominated by boulders, snowfields, and stunted evergreens. Once they picked a campsite, a few of the party slinked off to hunt and forage to replenish their rations. Luck favored them that night, as they caught a brace of rabbits and even took down a deer. Venison much improved Kargi's mood. 

The following day they labored higher into the Greypeaks, the grey-green expanse of the Marsh of Chelimber visible just beyond the small strip of forest where the Lady of the Glen makes her home. The High Moor was a raised swath of purple and white in the distance. Dusk found them at the entrance to a vast, snowy, bowl. Days of recent snow had been packed in tightly by the alpine winds. 

As the light faded, the orange glow of firelight became visible around half-way up the bowl's eastern slope. It was coming from a squat, ramshackle cabin, they could barely make out, with smoke drifting out of the chimney. Prex yelled something to Kargi in goblin. Kargi stopped and replied in Common, "Yes, Captain?" 

"Is that Outpost 109?"

"Sir, I believe it is." 

"I knew the war wasn't over! Come on, lads!"

Prex and Kargi took off at a breakneck pace heading toward the cabin. The group had no choice but to follow. When they got closer, the party tried to reason with them, but they wouldn't have it, and Prex charged straight into the cabin. 

Inside, they found three geriatric bugbears and two ancient hobgoblins. Prex, Kargi, and Dunny had begun to brawl. Overturning tables. Dala'gse, Ironica, and Nancy came inside to try to stop the melee, but were soon sucked into it. Dala'gse grabbed one of the hobgoblin's canes and smacked him with it. One of the bugbears grappled Prex through the window onto the snow-laden slope. Golun-dal followed them out and cast magic missile on the snarling bugbear. 

When the force of the missiles blasted into the bugbear, the group heard a strange rumbling from above them. A spay of misty snow was all they saw in the moonlight when the injured bugbear shouted,

"AVALANCHE!" 

Around 900 feet above them, a moving wall of snow was gathering speed and hurtling down the bowl toward them. 

The melee froze mid-swing as everyone scattered. 

The group had no time to think, only react. Safad, Slothrop, and Rya sprinted for the nearest boulder or tree to try to brace themselves. Rook flapped his wings above the chaos. Golun-dal, Prex, Kargi, Dunny, Dala'gse, Zireael, and Ironica just ran as fast as they could down the mountain. Nancy grabbed the stinking bulette shell from Dala'gse back and put it smooth side down on the steep pitch, hoping to gather enough momentum to speed out of the avalanche's reach. 

Even with the head start it was only moments before the snow reached those who had attempted to brace themselves by the trees. Safad saw the first of his companions get buried and knew the tree strategy was a losing won: he cast misty step just as the snow was closing in, attempting to angle himself above the snow and land behind the moving mass, out of harm's way. The effort partially worked--he was buried and immobile, but as he came to a rest in the moving pile of what felt like solid rock, he could see the stars above and Rook flapping frantically. 

The avalanche completely swept away Outpost 109 in its fury. The others pushed themselves to the limit racing against nature. Nancy, on her bulette shell, was the first to emerge into the safety zone, where the avalanche lost steam and leveled out. 

Soon behind her was Ironica with her boots of haste, followed by the sturdy Dala'gse, Dunny, Zireael, and then Golun-dal. The goblins were buried. Dunny barked hysterically. 

After the snow had settled, the survivors set about searching for their buried companions. One of the bugbear veterans had survived and he pitched in. After 15 minutes they had found most of them, but Slothrop and Prex were still missing. With renewed effort, they uncovered the remaining two. All those who were buried were badly battered and unconscious. 

Nancy and Zireael tended to their wounds, stabilizing and restoring their friends as the group set up a makeshift camp among the hardpacked rubble of the avalanche. Even those who had made it out were exhausted. 

A bone-dead sleep overtook the group at the base of the bowl.