Year 2, Day 11

Heading down the dimly lit tunnel, we found ourselves looking at three doorways when a direwolf and two regular wolves emerged from two of them. To everyone's surprise, the direwolf spoke to us, while watching us cautiously. While I'm sure some members of our party may have been inclined to kill the creatures, I could only think of how amazing it was that I was talking to a wolf; awesome! Through polite inquiry I learned that Worsa, the direwolf, must have been some sort of Cannith test subject at one point, but she gained sentience, most likely, during the cataclysm that created the Mournlands.

Having moved closer to her, we found that the doorway that none of the wolves had emerged from seemed to be locked with an opening that would require an orange colored key rod. We decided to keep an eye out as we searched the facility and found that Worsa would be more than happy to help us if we agreed to kill a mechanical wolf that was keeping her separated from the rest of her pack. Searching the two rooms open to us, we found some weapons and pools of water, but the only thing of note was that Worsa's lick of Arad managed to heal some of his wounds. Setting off to confront the mechanical terror, we headed to the main rotator and allowed Worsa to guide us.

A familiar hallway with dim glow globes yawned before us before it angled out of sight. Moving forwards quickly brought us to the attention of our semi-lupine foe and Arad quickly sent his skeletons into the fray to ward off the large beast. Once it came close enough, we could see that it appeared to be a large wolf that had had metal plates and objects grafted into its body. We all brought our implements of choice to bear, weapon, magic, and bony claw, and while the creature seemed capable of slowing the movements of one of the skeletons, I resisted the effect and continued to lash out at it. The battle was over quickly, but Arad lost one of his most trusty followers, the undead thrall we called "Clumsy".

Alas, he shall be sorely missed.

We quickly set about freeing Worsa's pack and while they joyously reunited, we set about searching this section of the facility, keeping our eyes out for the schema all the while. Tucking away items of interest, I addressed Worsa and found out that what she wanted now was to escape with her pack from White Hearth and run free on the surface. I'm surprised by what I did next, but I think I understand why now. The wolves remind me... of myself, feeling this unspoken kinship, I couldn't agree to help them without trying to explain the realities of present day Cyre. I could tell Worsa didn't comprehend the dangers I tried to describe, but I managed to convince her to wait until we left before leaving White Hearth so that we could lead them out of the Mournlands. Following this, we manged to contrive a system for getting the wolves up the ladder into the caverns above and thanks to one of Kaellana's druidic spells, Worsa was able to run right up the walls somehow.

I led the pack to the cavern before Frellwit's cart and had to deal with more of his shystery antics while he hemmed and hawed about being paid and staying in the cave but though the simple application of addition, forced him to realize an error in his counting, the fool.

Before we descended into the depths of White Hearth again, I retrieved one of the regenerating bodies for the wolves to snack upon, and then rejoined my companions. In short order we proceeded to explore the rest of the facility, finding storerooms, laundry rooms, still magically automated, a study, a dining hall, and the fearsome firestorm room that Worsa had mentioned to us. Entering that room we knew we were going to be in for a serious fight as we saw the wet floor spotted with the severely charred remains of bodies. The firestorm soon emerged from the far doorway and the fiery combat that ensued was utterly confusing. Why does something so hot it can burn you also have to be in a perpetual state of rain? Once we were able to land some solid blows on the thing, it seemed to die, and having been engulfed by it, I know that its center was, oddly enough, comprised of ice.

We also found an incredible device in the kitchen area adjoining the dining hall where ten people seemed to be slumped over in their chairs. It looked like a cupboard, but had special compartments that contained spices, could keep food cold, and even cook things. Once we realized what it could do, we knew we just had to have it and spent the time to haul it back to Frellwit's cart, where we some how managed to store it. Then, using the key rods we had been discovering throughout the facility, we went and unlocked the locked room in Worsa's wing, finding someone's private bedchambers which we immediately ransacked. Taking everything of value, Aramel used something called a rope trick to create a pocket dimension where we found the oppression and restriction on magical use to have been completely nullified. If we ever make any other sojourns into the blasted lands we definitely need to remember that trick.

The last few things we found as we stumbled around the facility looking for the schema were a strange room that projected the illusion of another that just so happened to contain metallic, diamond shaped plates and a trap. We went down the last unexplored hall and plugged in the orange key we had just discovered hanging on the wall in the illusion room. This promptly caused this second rotator to angle downwards and jerk to a halt, throwing only me and one of Arad's minions off of the platform, down what must have been a thirty foot fall to crash into some water. Luckily no one else fell thirty feet and I was able to hold my breath long enough for the rest of them to drop a skeleton weighted rope so that they could lift me out of my predicament as I held my breath and hoped.

Shortly, dripping wet, we fumbled around on the control panel and the rotator revealed a new hallway. Apparently, the orange rod did lead to a new section, it simply went to the trap the first time it's used. Heading down the new hall we could see glaringly bright light coming from ahead as the temperature started to climb. Aramel, thinking one of the potions we had found earlier might prove of use in warding off the heat, popped the cork and drank it only to discover he had unleashed a fireball in the middle of the group, buffeting everyone severely and almost managing to kill Aramel's familiar, Ku. We were sure it must have died, but somehow it escaped only severely singed. Pressing forward, we found that we had reached the illusion room and we going to start searching it for the schema when two fire elementals attacked, lashing out with burning fists. Teamwork and strength prevailed as we dispatched the elementals and laid claim to the schema we had spent so long looking for.

-A.N.-