In the last session, the players entered the portal and met an old Dwarven priest named Yimgi Silverbeard. The name rang bells for Modric, as it was the same name as the one who founded his order, who first spread the word of Vergadain.

The party then found themselves in a giant mead-hall, possibly even the sort of place a dwarf would like to spend his afterlife. Yet it’s not in good shape, looking as if there had been a big fight recently. The normal rules clearly do not apply here. The smell of Dwarves permeates the air, but there’s another foul stench in the air. It is the smell of giants. There’s a clear path towards an end table, but Paws wants to investigate this strange realm. The room seems to be infinite, but he can clearly see the walls. Trying to focus on them makes his eyes water. Looking at a table and following it down the room is impossible; his eyes wander against his will. Frustrated, he shoots a crossbow bolt towards the wall, towards a seemingly empty patch of the room. The bolt immediately fades from his view, much to his frustration.

The party approach the end table, where a large central seat lies empty. To the left, a powerfully built dwarf who is clearly a Paladin. Yimgi takes his seat to the right of what could be called the throne if dwarves had kings, and motions for the party to sit. Yimgi explains that Modric is to be tested, and that he will face 3 trials in this place. He specifies that he talks for Vergadain, and that Vergadain is happy with Modric’s work as one of his Clerics. Yimgi informs the group that the bard, although Vergadain approves of Bards, is not allowed to come on this quest. Only his long-term companions are allowed but they must agree to be bound to Modric; to protect and assist Modric, to keep him safe through the coming trials and to be eternally loyal to him. If they break this pact they will suffer great misfortune.

Yimgi informs Modric that Vergadain has provided a champion as well, to help him through the trials. He motions to the Paladin, and introduces him as Jorn Gravelarm. Jorn is another name familiar to Modric; he was the famous champion of Vergadain, a great warrior paladin with a knack for negotiating. He is principally famous for doing everything a paladin is supposed to do, but always finding a way to get paid for it. In the legends he would always donate his money to the temple. Yimgi informs the party that Jorn cannot die as his soul will merely return to the afterlife. However he warns that if the party members die in this place then their souls will be trapped forever with no hope of rescue. They must be careful: this is not a dream world.

If Modric and his allies accept, then they should drink mead together, as Mead is the drink of Dwarven gods. Yimgi picks up a large pitcher and starts to pour a drink into pewter goblets, and as he does, Paws spots one of his crossbow bolts in the table. The normal rules do not apply in this place. As the players drink the Mead, they feel a gentle warmth passing through them, invigorating them. Now they are ready, and together with Jorn they step through a door to face the 3 trials.

In this room the floor is covered in symbols. At the far end of the room, there is a large door with 4 depressions around it. Similarly, there are 4 alcoves around the room, each with a different puzzle written on a stone. Beneath the stone is a depression in the floor. Before the door lies a large depression that hums with magical energy, and to the left, three levers, marked “create”, “combine” and “destroy” in Dwarven.

After playing around with the device, the party discovers that standing on the squares programs the device. Pulling the create lever creates the appropriate item in the hopper before the door. Standing on multiple squares, or pulling the lever repeatedly, creates new items which interact with existing items in the hopper. Pulling the combine lever will activate new squares on the floor, allowing new items to be created. Pulling the destroy lever destroys whatever lies in the hopper. If the combine lever is pulled for an invalid combination, then the players will suffer based on the squares they were standing in. Above the door there are 10 glowing crystals, which turn out one by one as items are removed from the hopper.

The riddles on the walls read:

I am always hungry, I must always be fed, The finger I touch, Will soon turn red.

I drive men mad For love of me, Easily beaten, Never free.

You saw me where I never was and where I could not be. And yet within that very place, my face you often see.

A potent weapon left behind No Honor, a disgrace With other things it is combined By those afraid to face.

The party quickly solves the riddles on the walls; Fire, Gold, Mirror and Poison. These items are created using the hopper and dropped into the depressions underneath the puzzles. When this is done, an Orb appears in one of the depressions near to the door, along with the sound of locks being turned. When all the orbs are in place, the door unlocks.

This leaves the players with 6 possible things to remove from the hopper, so they get to work combining items to make interesting things. Paws creates weapons till he finds a crossbow, then adds smoke and magic to it. The result is a Smoking powerful magic crossbow that shoots bolts which leave a thick trail of blinding smoke.

Other combinations provide interesting results. Creating the door then opening it reveals two stupid elves, who tried to combine the door with wood. Apparently they were part of a party of 4; why they are in Vergadain’s trial is anyone’s guess. Some time is spent giving life to various inanimate objects, then destroying them before they can leave the hopper.

Although Modric is all for creating buckets of gold with the device, a plan is hatched to create a powerful set of magic rings that summon the forces of nature. 5 Rings are created using Metal, Craftsmanship and repeated use of the Mirror tile. Then the 4 elements are summoned: wind, fire, earth and water. This is followed by using the life square, shaped like a heart, and finally the magic square to bind the resulting miasma to the rings. When the smoke has cleared, Elemental 5 rings lie in the middle of the hopper; one red, one blue, one green, one white and one that seems to shift and change colours. Each ring radiates with a powerful energy.

No time is spared to test the rings as the players press on, with elves in tow, through the enormous door and into the second trial…