Editing Chronicle - Zundar (section)

== Cold Mountain ==

We followed the path and after some distance we came across stairs hewn out of the rock leading up to our left. We could not see where they lead becuase of the cloud, but after an hour's climb it seemed to our aching legs that they lead to the heavens themselves! During the next half an hour the stairs narrowed and the air got progressively colder. The stairs veered to the left and got steeper, and we eventually came to the snowline. It was only the exertion of climbing that was keeping us warm. The stairs were now slippery with snow and ice, and a precipitous drop fell away to our right whilst a steep cliff rose to the left. The stairs continued to wind steeply upwards until the cliff on the left started to flatten off into a small plateau.

As we climbed to the level of this plateau we were set upon by beasts, having intruded into their territory. Although small, these golden furred creatures proved to be formidable opponents, having eight legs each and what appeared to be solid copper claws and teeth. One of them rushed forward and clamped itself to Lanzi's leg, raking him with its many claws, whilst the other fought with Merc at the front. We were restricted by the drop beside us, but this did not seem to bother Hintzu; fearlessly he leapt right over Merc to attack the creature from behind - fortunately he kept his footing despite the treacerous conditions. His attack, combined with Mercs, finished off the animal and allowed us to concentrate on the other. Once it was despatched we took a moment to tend to our wounds.

Lanzi then decided that he wanted the pelt of one to turn into a cloak at some point. This caused much argument, as Merc did not think it was appropriate to spoil a creature in this way - after all they had only been protecting their territory and had not been evil creatures. I felt that it would be inadvisable, as any delay would expose us to the cold more than necessary. Lanzi, though, would not be deterred and set about skinning one of the animals. As soon as he was done we set off again, following the stairs up, but noticably colder than we had been before.

We climbed for another hour, the stairs getting no easier to traverse. Then we heard that accursed cry of the Dracolith again, all dropping flat instinctively with fear. After a few moments silence we rose to continue with some haste. Our progress was blocked a little later with a shear cliff in front of us. The key directed us straight up, but there was no easy way to progress.

Hintzu was the best climber amongst us, and set off up the cliff face using a gem of brightness to help him find handholds. He took with him a rope of climbing and a normal rope joined together, which he attached to the top of the cliff. He then climbed back down to us, at one point losing his grip in the cold and falling, but using the rope of climbing to stop himself. By this time we were really feeling the cold, exposed as we were on a narrow ledge. I called on Odin to grant me a flame, using it to warm hands in anticipation of the climb to come. Meanwhile, Merc used the ropes to climb to the top and then started to pull Lanzi up, attached to the end.

Suddenly we found ourselves plunged into a thick fog at the bottom of the cliff, whilst at the top Merc was surrounded by grey Stork-like birds. Whistling and hooting, the birds dived at Merc and Lanzi, stabbing with black, needle-like beaks. Merc could not fight effectively whilst holding Lanzi, so he used a scroll to summon a Fire Elemental to protect him. At the bottom we did not know what was happening, but could tell from the noise above that a fight of some kind had started, and the sudden way the fog appeared suggested that it was not natural. I called upon Odin's power to destroy the water around us, thus removing the fog and allowing us to see the danger. Lanzi was in a predicament, being unable to fight or defend himself without risking falling to his death; his dweomer is strong, though, and he was able to teleport himself straight to the top of the cliff, appearing just a little off the ground and landing safely. With both groups now able to fight effectively the birds suffered losses and dispersed into the gloom.

We were able to regroup at the top without being molested whilst we climbed, and found ourselves on a wider ledge leading off to the right. Still following the key we set off up this new path, which twisted to the left climbing steeply upwards. After yet another hour's trek the key suddenly veered to point at the rockface beside us. Allowing the key to touch the rock, we located the lock and a silvery trace of a door appeared around it. The runes above the door read "The Hidden Source", meaning 'Zundar' in Dwarvish. We had found our destination at last.