����������� Book One, Chapter Three: �Kiraz At Last!�

At last we stand outside the huge ornate doors of the Legendary Khuzdul city of Kiraz. Magnificent workmanship, still strong after 600 years, decorated with the traditional double headed axe motifs of the Khuzdul. Within these blood-soaked walls may walk the ghost of Lothrim the Foulspawner and his 12 strong guard of Gargun. Or perhaps not, the Khuzdul don�t mention the location and the contents of Lothrim�s tomb, or indeed the Foulspawner himself.

However they did provide the Royal Guard which enabled us to get here. Even as we stand here they are killing foulspawn, and dying in their turn. Let their noble sacrifice be forgotten not. Our mission must succeed. We must obtain the horns of a mighty demon, whose tongue and eyes have already been got. Behind these doors we must go on our quest.

We are Daniel the bard, Zytsi the Khuzdul, Estalyn the Elf, Giles the Locksmith, Ganymede the Cleric, Aruth the Ranger, Three Feathers the Guide and Ladies and Gentlemen I give you the one, the only Martyn Yanyez De Barbudo, beloved of Larani. And Balatar the Fish, Lucimel the Lucky, and Aaron the Unseen as well.

((There is a small map here))

Zytsi gets out the key. Martyn remembers that the chamber where he fought with the Khuzdul in his dreams is the chamber of the Khuzdul�s last stand. The doors open and we enter. Zytsi shouts something in Khuzdul. Sounds of battle and then a horn. We shut the doors. They don�t open without the key, we tried.

10 ft high ceiling complex area with pillars (?) and split levels, mine head offices.

Zytsi says that if we see plaques on the floor don�t steep on them as they are graves.

We search and find nought, apart from a nasty pit trap.

There are two ways to go. One has a railway line and gate, the other stairs up. Up we go into the city. We find another gate. Martyn says to open it because there will stairs going up beyond it. Therefore the hiders of the horns (10 or 5 or whatever years ago) couldn�t have got into this area. He was right - smug bastard.

Up into a huge impressive hall - no dust anywhere! Our footsteps echo around the ornate hall. Stairs in centre, 2 other flights of stairs upwards. We chose the most impressive flight of stairs up.

Martyn�s theory - Plan A - we go straight to where the horns are. Plan B - we search everywhere and them. Plan A seems to be working, or at least we got to where the horn hiders got in.

�Its all right we�re nearly there� Quote Martyn.

Up into another large hall, the throne room by the stairs.

Veins on copper, quartz, gold and silver. Ceiling resembles summer sky, white marble, tinted blue. Symmetrical

Feasting area, benches and tables

Large throne of interlocking quartz crystals with 2 smaller thrones of pale green glass.

Very impressive. We search for a box. Plan A has lead us here.

Lots of kitchens and other rooms - no there ways up or down.

Back down to last hall and up the other stairs. To a hall of pale green tinted marble, curtains of heavy green silk.

30 ft x 20 ft hole floor and ceiling. 40 ft below drawbridge mechanism (currently pulled up). Can�t see up far - its plugged !?!

Tables of green wood inlaid with silver / behind council chamber

Find blocked balcony with many plaques with noble names. We go down a level.

Oh the draw bridge is down and we hear Gargun.

Balatar the fish has an exit (the water). We see 20ish Gargun, Martyn charges, sees 50-odd, so they return to our stairwell. ((Mini map here))

There was a big set piece battle ended by big 8 ft tall black demon scaring the Gargun away. It didn�t attack us! It didn�t speak. �Where are the horns?�. It pointed back the way we came. It scratched �Icarus� on a pillar with its scythe, and faded away.

Icarus is the demon whose bits we are looking for. Icarus doesn�t like servitude to Panaga. It could be him.

Smash down door - opposite the council room - posh room.

One of the special doors which need Zytsi�s key. Beyond a posh room with a locked door. Good place for a kip and some food. Uneventful night.

Immortal line number 95 - Giles to Martyn � How do you use this� (This being a sword)

Smash next door down.

Bedroom mummified body of a Khuzdul, but it can�t be the King. The Khuzdul king left and was never seen again, and he died on the journey anyway. THE BOX on his lap. Plan A lead us straight here, but we turned away. Rod in Khuzdul�s hand - was it the sealing agent.

((Cryptic comment written in the margin of the notes)) Turned to dust when read ? �The Penultimate Tomb� is the book that the Foulspawner.

One chest opened - full of gold. The other chest had a lock pick broken off in it.

Now the hider of the horns (Panaga?) had to have a key to get here therefore the front door was broken down by someone else. Gargun came that way (presumably) therefore the pit and the drawbridge are murder holes

There was a long confusing argument about the treasure and rod in particular. The rod appeared in Martyn�s backpack at one point. Zytsi takes the rod and the 2nd key.

We go. We find no living Gargun. Take the bodies (3 Gargun and Lucky).

Find the drawbridge, cross, main gate (needing 2 special keys) open, broken-down entrance we saw from other side. Draw up drawbridge - luck we had 2 keys -� still no sign of Aaron the Unseen.

We go down to the mine. The room we originally came into. The other gate with railway line.

Branch with security door (special key needed) cleverly disguised wall up bit just by it. Martyn says when he sought guidance on the way forward it was to free a Khuzdul woman. Through a door to room with statues of 2 young well dressed Khuzdul� male with crown ((map here)). Queen and three children laid to rest in same place - says Zytsi. When the room the wall starts glowing, and stops when left.

Bricked up wall, knocked though first lair, there is another. Round corner is another bit, but gone through. Khuzdul tomb, lots of bodies. A couple pulled out. Give up, go back to glowing room. Nothing.

Back to wall, dig, dig, dig, dig, catacomb area full of Khuzdul. Well dressed, several per shelf - family groups ?

(C- Create and D - Destroy) Zytsi presses button D - nothing, C - starts humming at statue of woman. Goes out creates a wall over our digging. Walls up other tomb entrance.

The Female statue can be moved, male can�t. �Release me�. Zytsi kisses her no difference, take her out ditto. This is an Earthmaster room, but statues aren�t.

This area has link to last stand chamber. Block it off. Go up to entrance and block ourselves in. I draw maps of city what we�ve seen so far.

Leave the statue in the mine head. Go and smash open 2nd chest - 16� silver Elfish Harp, Obsidian Orb, book in runes (Khuzdul runes - magic), helmet, pile of gems, hand axe, shield.

Zytsi carries Orb. He goes into a trance for 15-20 minutes in which he communes with Elder Khuzdul in Midgaad. �What happened?� Zytsi tells them. They�ll ponder it and get back to him. We take the statue back to the Earthmaster room and then form a circle holding hands with each other and say word. Statue destoned (axe for door).

Her father was the king. Uncle sent her to activate concealing device as Gargun about to attack. Zytsi breaks it to her gently.

She knows nothing about the black orb. Martyn shows her a picture of Ulay ((Look did Martyn really pull out a framed portrait of this guy or what - sorry I just find is amusing)) - suspected to be Panaga. She screams ..... and faints, but not for long. The picture is of one of Lothrim�s lieutenants, name unknown, reputed to be some sort of magician.

She screams when she sees our Elf. She was stoned at the height of the Elf-Khuzdul hate. Doesn�t want harp. Zytsi says Estalyn can have it. Zytsi gives her Uncle�s key to her.

Secret door in mine head office. Stairway to bedroom where the mummified Khuzdul (Harazda the great mason. The rod has run out of charges, but it is rechargeable but none knows how. She gives the rod to Zytsi.)

She kits herself out, and gets some gems and gold.

She wanders around the city. Princess�s bedroom off throne room. Kits herself out with armour (very fine chain mail, helmet, axe). Giles and Aruth get to carry her chest.

She tells us to stay in Great Hall while she looks around the city. I study the Throne room. She come back after 2 hours with satchels of stuff. Goes out another exit, and then comes back after 1 hour with a lot more stuff.

The Earthmaster room is the legendary arrival place of the Khuzdul on Harn. Secret exit. Larger chamber (rather like grand hall/throne room) Glowing rock and curtains. cut across to right, alcove, secret door. corridor tunnel.

Be very careful and do exactly as she says. Steps in particular spots at several places. Fairly narrow and 5 ft tall. 6 hours and only done 5 or 6 miles (Khuzdul could do it in an hour, probably).

There is a blocking portcullis. Find a leaver and pull it, but nothing happened. Martyn and Daniel lift portcullis party goes through. 30 yards dead end. Secret door mechanism works. Into back of cave. Its night.

Sleep in corridor. Zytsi sets up curtains for princess.

The next morning we find ourselves on a wooded hillside. River hunting lodge. Aruth find the right path with cover to the lodge (no user in the last few hours). Down to it. Not right lodge. Down to right one. Zytsi sneaked down to the clearing. Didn�t come back. Track him to the clearing edge.

Plan A. Door opens Zytsi (tied up), Aaron the Unseen with dagger at Zytsi�s throat. Equani in lodge. Long negotiation. Equani file out. He wants the box (demon stuff).

Martyn tosses box forward. It lands at Zytsi�s feet. Aaron goes for it. Dagger away from Zytsi�s throat. Zytsi breaks free, kicks box 10 ft, back to Martyn�s feet. Aaron falls over with a crossbow bolt in his forehead ........... Zytsi falls over ............... new round ........... end of chapter

((insert map))