Ulgrotha: The Black Anvil

 Party: Iskren / Sorval / Taurio / Viken / Zantaroth / Vultha

Xivaskir 20

The party, finding themselves underground and moderately wounded, question their prisoner and realise only Viken knows what dwarves are. They learn about the existence of the Black Anvil as a physical object and that the warlock who they slew was aligned with Leshrac. They also get information from the dwarf about the Anvil being linked to demonic beings Balors. Beyond that, there is a pile of treasure that the defeated were hoarding. They bind up the dwarf after retrieving everything.

They then spend some time dividing the items amongst themselves.

Proceeding further they go up a staircase and arrive in a strange laboratorium. Zantaroth and Tool, Iskren's undead ally, both seem to suffer ill effects as they enter. Tufts of fur start crawling from under the scales of Zantaroth as he progresses into the room. Tool crumbles into dust. The room looks izzet-y, but little else strikes the attention of the party. Little else, except for a massive spellbound iron anvil. Investigations on the anvil show it to be a source for a spell of binding. 

Zantaroth's control starts slipping away after a while, but he manages to hold back the more feral aspect eventually, keeping the wildness in check and calming down. The anvil gets smashed to bits shortly afterwards, freeing a Balor from the control of Leshrac.

As a permitted favor, Vultha summons the Balor to the room. Iskren calls upon it to settle the owed debt for freeing it and gains the true name of one of its fellow imprisoned Balors: Trevesh of the Thousand Flaming Tongues. It also promises to look in on the party once in a while.

Sorval, meanwhile, walks down to the lower levels again, for he seeks not the deals with demons. Jared smiles upon this and grants the Aasimar a boon, the ability to call for the Shadowmage's aid.

Leaving the dungeon after releasing the dwarf and grabbing a couple of crystals, the party heads back to their chariot, where Leshrac appears in a fit of rage and destroys the mode of transport before leaving the party to the mercy of the elements.

Being of sound mind and body, the party rests up after this ordeal. Of course, the commotion that happened drew in a monster, so a little nightly combat is had still. Moving on in the morning, the party gets to a bridge guarded by a group of minotaurs. A toll is paid and an escort to Strongrock is given to the party and as they depart from the bridge, the session comes to a close.