Chapter 3: The Dwarven Valley
Date: 6 Marpenoth (October)
Location: Departing Bryn Shander toward the Dwarven Valley
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The adventurers make final preparation for their trek up the winding trail leading into the Dwarven Valley, a cleft of earth yawning away south of Kelvin's Cairn. Here, the few but proud dwarves of Clan Battlehammer mine beneath the earth in search of the meager lodes of ore the great mountain concedes.
The trail up the slopes leading to the valley is perhaps 10 miles long and quite treacherous on account of the gale force winds that buffet travelers from the west. Local guides suggest these winds subside once one reaches the shelter of the valley, but that is of little consolation when one is hiking along a snow-covered trail with significant exposure one either side.
Departing Bryn Shander, the party treks northward over fresh snow, Hengar and Arnan leading the way. The snowshoes Hengar suggested before departing prove to be quite helpful, making the going a bit more manageable. Still, for those unaccustomed to wearing them, the first few hours prove to be quite comical. Needless to say, there are several glorious misadventures on account of the adventurers' unfamiliarity with their footwear. In any event, the group makes good progress along the trail, the slope of which is quite gentle in many spots.
In fairer weather, covering the 10 miles could be easily accomplished in a day, but given present conditions, it will likely take the better part of two. Toward the end of the first day's travel, the party sees a hunter's lodge up ahead, a suitable place to make camp for the night.
The lodge is built low to the ground, its turf roof protruding about 5 feet above the surrounding ground. Hudge drifts of snow butt up against the lodge. The entrance to the lodge is a dug-out stairwell leading into the earth, a common feature in these parts to escape the howling winds. At the bottom of the stairwell, the party can see a partially opened doorway. No light spills out from the doorway and save for the whipping wind, the adventurers hear no sound from within.
Numerous humanoid tracks are seen in the fresh snow. They seem to come from the direction of the Dwarven Valley and terminate here, at the hunters lodge.
The group is presently about 100 feet distant from the lodge, which sits off to one side of the trail.