Windfall Day 5: The it's-been-a-while Update

(Trying to keep this brief)

After Amadis' betrayal our heroes were trapped with the unknown horror of the Corpse Fields on one side, and a massive underground Orcish fortress on the other. Our heroes chose the known known over the known unknown and went to have a look at this fortress thing.

Outside the fortress was a guard with two berserk merchants wearing stylish clothes. Bloody handprints marked their faces. Our heroes killed them and stole their secret badges. They bloodied their own faces and snuck into the Orcish stronghold pretending to be converts. The orcs fell for it. Orcs always fall for it.

The fortress was old and in disrepair. It was actually the lowest level of Dana Briar's tower. Many races mixed in the stronghold--elves, dwarves, orcs, kobolds. Some bore the bloody marks of the berserk, but most were calmly and quickly preparing for war. The walls of the stronghold bore the mark of Vecna, God of Death and Power and Evil Magicks. This was odd, as all Orcs are worshippers of Gruumush the One-Eyed.

Our heroes sneaked through corridors and hallways and one enormous colloseum-like chamber moving towards the X on their map. Didion Graytongue had meant to come here to acquire something, and seeing as how they were trapped and all our heroes decided they should acquire it first.

At the X they found an old, securely locked door. Exploring the area they also found a jail cell with an Orcish priest of Avandra (goddess of travelers, trade, merchants and exploration) and an extraordinarily fat wizard, Volstagg the Voluminous. His name is not Disposable Steve. They were being attacked by a baby Carrion Crawler--sort of a huge, hungry caterpillar. Our heroes jumped in and defeated the crawler. There was much rejoicing.

Returning to the door, Orzul revealed that she had been given a key by Dana Briar, in a dream. When she awoke the key was in her hand. The key fit the lock and in the room was Dana Briar herself, sitting in a magic circle inscribed into the floor.

Our heroes had many quetsions, like: what's going on? And, shouldn't you have died of old age hundreds of years ago? And also, who is the master under the mountain and why is he so freaky? Dana tried to answer these.