41. February 4, 2018

Spells cast on the black stone reveal that it's small, black, and is not evil. We continue moving through the ice tunnel. After 20 more minutes, we hear a scratching noise (like a dagger against ice, say) and a crunching noise (like sticks being snapped), and Bel swears she hears a noise like an animal grunting as well. The passage opens out suddenly and we enter a stone building that has been swallowed by the glacier. And in the room is a huge, worm-like/centipede-like creature, that is digging out Thelduin bodies (which we believe are in suspended animation, not dead), and is snapping into them and sucking out ... the life force or energies or souls or magic...something ethereal and intangible, and then throwing the husks aside. There's a shimmer around it, as from heat. In fact, the bodies are frozen when it picks them up, but are melted when it tosses them away.

Before it notices us, we Summon blink dogs; cast Bless; attempt to start an avalanche with a sling shot; and shoot an ordinary arrow, which catches fire in its heat aura and is ash before it reaches the worm! Round 1: Bel casts Resist Elements (Fire/Heat) on Jessa, who attempts a Stunning Fist attack (but misses on an 18). Ghard and Odette hit it with ranged attacks, and the Blink Dogs surround it and snap at the air around it. In the next several rounds, Jessa and Ghard and the blink dogs surround and flank it and attack; we hit it with Wall of Thorns twice—it receives massive damage by tunneling down out of it, into a free space. It damages Jessa for 18 points and Bel for 25, before we finally winnow down its hit points and destroy it: It solidifies into ice, and slowly tumbles to the ground. It seems that in its time burrowing and eating things within the complex, it ate several magic items that are still intact.

Seven, in fact: Detecting as faintly magic are a Javelin, Spear, Trident, and Flail. Mild to moderate is a Potion in a metal bottle. Stronger aura is a Scroll in a bone tube, and a medium Shield. All of the items have unique construction. The Javelin, Spear, Trident, and Flail are all Expert weapons (+1 to hit, and while they aren't exactly magic they are treated as such for creatures that can only be hit by magic weapons, but there's no bonus to damage). The Scroll has a 5th-level cleric spell of True Seeing; as it would be consumed by attempting to learn the spell, Bel defers making any attempt for now. The Potion is Shield of Faith +2 whose effects will last for 1 hour. Ghard calls dibs on the +2 medium Shield, which has an interesting white rune on its face.

Most of the Thelduin have been mangled, and are dead. But one, Bel is certain is alive (though still ensorcereled). Odette is by Bel during this investigation, and seems okay as Bel pulls bodies from the icy rubble and lays them out...but then suddenly faints. The last Thelduin opens its eyes! Odette makes a successful save against a death attack as the Thelduin Spirit leaves Odette's body and transfers to the living Thelduin's body. And Odette is herself again.

And the trap door in the corner of the room suddenly busts open and a tiny, ice-colored dragon bursts forth! (The Thelduin is now Ellie's actual character and the teeny dragon is her [double-20] familiar.)