The Maw of Arawn

In the morning Maeve described the Horn of the Sacred Grove to Ralom, "It is a brightly polished horn carved from an antler, trimmed with gold and studded with glittering crystals."  Ralom limned a picture of the horn is his mind and cast locate object.  The whole party with Maeve and Shelaugh in addition, transited the area of Shelaugh's Rowan Faction.

Ralom found no evidence of the horn anywhere in the whole of the area.  When night came the exhausted Ralom fell into a deep sleep while the rest of the party continued reading their Tomes and Manuals.  On the next morn the party took the two mile journey, underground, to Maeve caves of the Oak faction.  Again Ralom pictured the horn and cast locate object.  As the group made its way to the east they found some of the short tunnels the Oak faction had dug.  At the end of one Ralom stopped, his attention was drawn toward the northeastern end of the tunnel.  Grunyar moved forward looking for a secret door, Seglun broke out a shovel and started digging.  Grunyar used the helm of X-ray vision to look into the stone but he could not see any opening in the rock.
After an hour or so of digging, Seglun broke through into a north-south chamber.  The floor was littered with rubble and she could not make out the north end of the cavern.  As the rest of the party moved into the chamber, a shimmering, transparent image materialized at the center of the cave.  It took on a human form, that of a man in a ragged, bloody kilt and shirt.  Skin hung in ribbons from his arms and legs, but it's his face that's the most terrifying; Nothing was left of it but a gaping, bloody gash!  His scalp had been peeled back and his skull split open like a nut.  A low moan filled the room, and the spirits reached out its hand toward the party.
Grunyar readied and arrow, the ghostly figure was surely undead, which raised the whiskers on Grunyar's face.  Varrid moved forward and said "Gregory."  The figure moved his hand beckoning Varrid to come toward him.  She moved slowly toward the figure, who backed up to the wall in the north end of the room.  The ghostly figure pointed at the wall.
Varrid saw a series of faint scratches in the stone.  The appeared to be figures, possibly a message in some language, completely unintelligible to the party.  There was also a representation of a horn carved into the wall.  Seglun moved up and was ready to attack the wall when Drovic cried for her to halt.  Drovic then called out to the hallway for Maeve and Shelaugh to come in and see if the could read the figures.  The two druids moved in and Maeve interpreted the writing: "Seek the misty mouth when it spits the sun into the sky.  That which you seek lies in the valley whose floor is carpeted with death.  Beware the mist."
Varrid was sure that this represented the Maw of Arawn, where Svendar was headed.  We should go there, I'm sure we can get out.  Maeve and Shelaugh confirmed the identification and immediately set about planning to leave in the morning for the climb to the Maw.  They told the heroes to be prepared to climb about four thousand feet up to the fissure which belched yellow mist into the air.  In the morning the heroes had completed their study of the Tomes and Manuals and were rewarded with a increase in the relevant ability score.  After second breakfast for Arvien they set off for the Maw, Svendar, Maeve and Shelaugh adding to the party.  The day was long and the climb to the summit was tiring but at last they saw the great fissure in the ground.  It runs north south further than the eye can see and is about 500 feet across.  This can only be seen rarely as a sickly yellow mist rises from the fissure swirling and eddying as it floats upwards.  Sometimes it clears at others nothing can be seen through the yellow mist.  Svendar is excited and Ralom asks him if this is the place.  "The Goblyns are in the castle, at times.  Filthy creatures," is his only reply.  Seglun started forward to examine the edge of the fissure, when Arvien stopped her saying, "Let Summergale try to find the way."
Summergale went gliding up and tried to generally stay out of the yellow mist, she found that there was a pathway down around 25 feet to the south.  So everyone headed there.  As they moved into the mist Drovic, Varrid and Arvien felt dizzy and stumbled around somewhat.  Seglun took a rope, handed the end to Baru and headed down the path that switched back and forth as it crept down the steep face.  The bottom was only about 50 feet down and Seglun tied off the rope and encouraged the others to "Come on Down."  As Drovic slowly moved down the path he slipped and dove headfirst into the mist, floating as a feather to the bottom.  Shelaugh and Maeve stayed on the top waiting for the party's return. Svendar gleefully climbed down the pathway.  The floor of the Maw was covered with bones, all stained a vile yellow color.  Many were broken into sharp shards and the yellow mist arose around and through the bones.
At the bottom Ralom cast Locate Object and headed the party east-southeast of the present position.  As the party moved toward the horn, a misty human form appeared near Baru and struck a mighty blow of damage and reduced Baru's wisdom as it occupied his space.  As the party responded they found the creature difficult to hit, it was incorporeal and was standing with Baru. Arvien used magic missiles and the party made sure all their magic weapons were at the ready.  Summergale and Dirk would not move closer than 30 feet near to the Horror, so Arvien and Grunyar stayed back also.  After a rather lengthy battle the Mist Horror dissipated and the party continued on looking for the horn.
The yellow vapors swirled around the party, shrouding the sky.  The sun was no more than a dim blob of light overhead.  The vapor rising from the ground made all feel as if they might faint.  Ghastly skulls underfoot stared up with lifeless eye sockets, as if they were watching the party's every move.
Suddenly, a faint noise was heard off to the right.  It sounded like the low moan of a horn.  Then the yellow vapors parted momentarily, and they saw what produced the eerie moan:  A brightly polished horn carved from an antler, trimmed with gold and studded with glittering crystals, lay on the ground amid the scattered bones.  The mouthpiece was held between the grinning teeth of a human skull.  A moments pause passed as they considered the gruesome sight.  Did the skeletal head somehow sound the horn?  Then a faint breeze blew, and the horn moaned once more.  Apparently, it was only the wind.
Drovic said "The horn is magic, let's take it and get out of here."  Varrid asked where they were going, she was sure this was the way out.  But Ralom indicated that they had to take the horn back to Shelaugh and Maeve and picked it ip.  As the party headed back to climb the pathway, Svendar trundled off into the mists, merely singing a song of sixpence.  Then a Bone Golem arose behind Ralom and pressed the attack.  Again the party was in a life or death battle.  Slashing weapons certainly did less damage, so Grunyar moved up with his hammer, Baru pulled his mace while Drovic, and Arvien threw spells they had left.  Ralom said a prayer and Arvien enlarged Baru.  This golem was more difficult to damage than the Mist Horror but the combined efforts soon had it collapsed into a pile of undistinguished bones.
When Shelaugh and Maeve saw the horn they were ecstatic and each claimed the right to study it.  Grunyar was holding out for some recompense when the two offered the party a choice of magic items when they returned to Sanctuary.

DM's Notes:  The party earned 1,600 XP for the night and now have 47,471 XP.