Return to Dun Vor

The dwarves of Dun Vor were driven out of their homeland during a Legion invasion; they managed a safe and relatively casualty-free retreat, but the land itself was lost. Afterward, Clan Steelbeard and their subsidiary clans settled temporarily at Two Hills in Seabreach County.

On April 20, a small army of dwarves, with Sir Ghanan Steelbeard at their head, set out to begin work on reclaiming it. When news failed to come back, the Order of Ashfall followed, and discovered a mystery that remains yet...

## Return (May 14)

After a long journey from Menethil Harbor, the Order arrived at the entrance to the gate valley. There, the column of five dozen armsmen and knights discovered a dense fog bank. Rather than blunder in, Jeremaias Auromere called for two to accompany him in scouting ahead; Sir Peryn Crowson and Neapolitan Butterchurn volunteered at once.

Though unhindered by anything but lack of visibility, the knights were swiftly aware that they were being watched. Not long after entering the fog, they discovered Mountaineer Amberstone, the last survivor of a band of Ironforge Mountaineers assigned to clear up Dun Vor of its undead affliction.

Amberstone reported, while being healed, that his unit had been ordered to depart upon the arrival of the thane of Dun Vor--but, oddly, those orders reflected not Ghanan, but Bandon Steelbeard as the thane. Someone identifying himself as Bandon did arrive at the head of a column of dwarves, with Ghanan not in evidence. After some revelry--during which Amberstone and his captain did not partake of refreshments--the newly-arrived Steelbeards and mountaineers alike turned on those who remained sober, and slaughtered all but Amberstone.

Auromere summoned Sir Joseph and Lady Sarah Bundy to them, to aid Amberstone and escort him back to camp, then to rejoin the scouting party forward. As the party proceeded into Dun Vor, again unhindered, they began to experience odd symptoms: stabbing headaches, and some were able to make out misshapen figures within the fog.

Finally, they encountered a female mountaineer in ragged uniform, who challenged them and demanded to know why they had come. Jeremaias began to bluff her, to gain access to the spurious thane, and produced the letter from Ghanan. This appeared to be working--until Lady Bundy asked the mountaineer whether she had been experiencing headaches. Suddenly, the mountaineer became unintelligible, muttering in an unknown language and bidding them flee, and the fog closed in.

Auromere ordered a withdrawal, and the party returned to the encampment. The fog did not follow them, and Auromere designated the concealed area off-limits without his express permission. He then sent a message to an old friend, Senator Gravelfoot, to report and gather information; however, that message would not arrive before the end of their mission...

## Interlude (May 15, daytime)

Auromere, far too wary to attempt a direct assault with a larger force, consulted with Terrylie Steelbeard, Ghanan's adopted daughter. Terry revealed that Bandon was the name of Ghanan's late father, who had been quite resentful at having to appoint Ghanan as the new thane upon his death. Bandon passed away the year prior, just before the Dark Dreams Incident.

Terry additionally provided information about a tunnel near the camp, one that opened into the vaults of Dun Vor. Auromere decided that this would make a much superior approach, perhaps one that was not so closely watched...

## No Stone Unturned (May 15, evening)

Now in greater force, the Knights moved into Dun Vor via the tunnel. Oddly, as soon as they arrived, the fog retreated, revealing a terrible sight: dead dwarves, being picked at by carrion birds. Auromere ordered some of the armsmen to look for survivors, while he, Nerolos Medreath, and Butterchurn investigated movement at the smithy.

They were spotted by two dwarves speaking in their native tongue, but instead of becoming hostile, they fell into a seizure. A combination of a counterspell and a burst of Light-based healing snapped the dwarves out of it, and they were swiftly evacuated to the tunnel. Auromere ordered the rest of the armsmen back to safety, while he and his companions returned to the smithy.

And there they found Ghanan and several dozen dwarves, all prisoner. Ghanan was confirmed as himself by asking who was his battle brother--Sauldrik Thelenmore--and the prisoners were swiftly prepared for evacuation.

However, some alarm was triggered, for the impostor Bandon and two unknown beings wrapped in cloaks emerged from the main fortress, and approached, bringing the cursed fog with them. Ghanan saw his people to safety while Auromere, Medreath, and Butterchurn intercepted the enemy. One of the cloaked enemy fell, but before he or she could be examined, the other two retreated, and the fog closed in.

The party escaped through the tunnel, returning to the camp to rest, heal, and eat.

## All or Nothing (May 18)

Given the arcane barrier sealing off the stronghold of Dun Vor from the rest, a small party was dispatched to disrupt or destroy it, making way for the larger force to follow. Auromere, Ghanan, Ryniri, Butterchurn, and Thayle Robinson made up this advance party.

After clearing the entrance to the city and securing entrance via Butterchurn's magical prowess, the party destroyed the shield generators, and moved deeper into the complex. But within, they found piles of decaying corpses--which shook the resolve of the party and permitted some to be implanted with a terrible suggestion.

Upon arriving at the audience chamber, the party discovered that the dynamic of the villains had changed: one of the cloaked magicians had slain the impostor and the other, and revealed himself to be one "Mardos Blackhand". He escaped by portal, using the suggestion of earlier to convince Ghanan and Ryniri that the other three had taken part in the murder of Ghanan's late wife. Auromere, Butterchurn, and Robinson were forced to fight them to submission, during which fight Auromere's knee was broken.

## Outcome

The land of Dun Vor was reclaimed, though at heavy cost. Few of the original assault forces survived.

## The Heroes of the Return to Dun Vor

* Joseph Bundy
* Sarah Bundy
* Neapolitan Butterchurn
* Peryn Crowson
* Thayle Robinson and Jimmy
* Ghanan Steelbeard
* Terrylie Steelbeard
* Ryniri