IvoryGlass

After their rest the party headed down the long crevasse passage.  It led for quite a long distance and then finally led to an opening on the wall of a vast cylinder in the center of the glacier.

The floor of this moulin seemed to be a palely reflective white stone and they could see several buildings and a large fortress in the distance, on top of the stone.  About 200 feet overhead they could see pale sunlight through a hole.  The fortress was the color of the glacier, ice blue and was 100 feet or so high.

Amadeo sent the owl on a scouting mission and he returned after a long interval and relayed what he had seen.

Surrounding the fortress were numerous outbuildings apparently for the servants and subjects of Yrax, including guard posts, barracks for both dragonkin and Triaxians, drake ghettos, smithies, storehouses, and animal pens.

The fortress appeared to be a solid block of glacial ice. The sole entrance to Ivoryglass stood in the palace's eastern wall, flanked by two stone guardhouses. He also noted patrols of frost drakes flying in random patterns around the fortress.

The group decided to wander through the maze of buildings.  They would talk to various people attempting to get information about the fortress, its inhabitants, protections or other pertinent information. This ended up being most fruitless as few were willing to talk and if they did, had little information, or at least did not divulge any. 

The tour was not without danger as the party skirted patrols of Frost Drakes and a green dragonkin leading two Hydras around. The smell of a animal pen hid their scent from the creatures. The pens were full of  shaggy, multi-legged creature with flattened faces displaying wide nostrils and four eyes. Ivory tusks jutted downward, flanking their mouths.

Since they could not find an inn or sleeping establishment the party ultimately headed toward the gates to Ivory Glass fortress. The gate was guarded by four Barbarians and a wizard Triaxian. The party noted the gate was a closed, barred iron gate some twenty feet wide. Fanara approached the nearest barbarian and began a discussion.

"We have urgent need to get into the fortress," she stated firmly.

"Do you have orders?" was the response.

"No, but Yrax should want to see us."

"Yrax sees no one without an invitation."

"Who can give us an invitation?"

"If you do not know, you have no business here." 

The group decided to leave at this point, retreating to an abandoned building where they could watch the guards. Maybe they would see them enter the fortress. A few hours later a new group of identical guards marched up from the south and changed places with the old guards.  The old guards moved off to the north and the party followed them surreptitiously. The barbarians entered one ratty building while the arcane user headed to a slightly better building.

Fanara moved up toward her and attempted to start a discussion.  The magic user whirled on Fanara and sternly told her to leave. Just at that time Fanara noted a Green Dragonkin move from the east toward the party leading two seven headed Hydras. Fanara fled back to the party, the arcane guard entered the house and the dragonkin flew toward the party and breathed acid.

The party crowded up to the dragonkin taking attacks as they moved forward. The Hydras moved slowly toward the party. The dragonkin attacked and then attempted to move away but the party cut it down as it began to fly off.  This left the Hydras who attacked with seven heads. Amadeo and Jorgen felt most of the wrath of the monsters but soon the remaining party crowded around and dropped the creatures.  Santrel had called forth a demon during the battle. Before it left he used it to knock on the door to flush out the magic user.

The door opened and Fanara, Casia and Jorgen moved up to try and intimidate the guard as the demon teleported into the house. Suddenly a cold aura surrounded the guard and the heroes took damage from the terrible chill of the air.  The guard was concealed by snow and ice falling in the area. The party could not see her but tried to attack anyway.  It was difficult to hit through the snow and ice and then the enemy cast a spell, apparently ice storm which hit most of the remaining party members.  He then moved away and the snow moved with him.

As the party again moved toward her, the cold blasted them once again and the foe was hidden by the snow and ice.  The demon attacked, Santrel used a fireball shrunken down to assure he wouldn't hit his party. Finally the party got the upper hand even though the caster continued with spells and he fell.

A search found a few magic items on the fallen enemy.  A search of the house found little other than food and a bed.  It seemed this was clearly not his actual home, maybe he was using it while serving the fortress.

Returning to their abandoned building they came upon a plan to try and forge papers based on the orders from Yrax they had discovered in Malesinder's camp.  Santrel wrote papers calling the group back to IvoryGlass.  They were to come an report to Yrax and should be let into the fortress. Fanara did not note that this was a forgery but who knew what the guards could see when they read the papers.

Fanara cast a spell to allow a single mirror image for each party member and the group headed to the gates once again.  On approaching Fanara held the papers out saying that the group was returning from the front battle lines against the Skyfire Mandate.

"Here are our orders," she said pressing the papers on the first barbarian.

The mage moved forward, "Give me those documents!" he demanded.

The barbarian handed them over without a word. The mage scanned the papers, shook his head a little.  Then he began to count the heroes, who were doubled, with some skepticism.  But at last he said follow me.  He led the group to the gate, one guard went into each blockhouse and soon the gate unlocked and opened.

"Here is you entry. Take care as you try to report to Yrax." the mage warned.

The party entered and the gate shut behind them.

DM's Notes: The party has now earned enough XP to reach 12th level.