The Midwinter Festival

Midwinter Festival, 1370:
    High = 0, Low = -10
    No precipitation
    Wind gusting to 10 mph from the prevailing direction.
    Partly cloudy.
    

    Henkles fights Shugh-Cshurk, the village's champion pugilist in
    their combat area - an open circle marked by pennants west of the
    main village.  There was a viewing platform outside the outer,
    audience circle for the priests.  Everyone but Henkles and Moogh
    gets a headache when they enter the area, which Darius later
    explains means they were in one of the dead magic zones left by
    the time of troubles.  Since continuous magic items continue to
    function in such areas, Henkles discovers that his belt dagger can
    also speak orcish and also had a strong AC advantage in the fight.
    Unfortunately, Henkles was KO'd just before Shug-Cshurk fell from
    injuries Henkles had previously inflicted.  Crowd pleased.
        50xp to Henkles for a narrow defeat

    All climb up to Bahgtru's head.  In addition to party & two guards
    seen previously are the High Priest (Oscho Skurgorg nuk'Bahgtru),
    Chief K'Gorna-Nughk, Oguch, a bald orc priest in black robes who
    will be accompanying the party, Chusnog, a tougher-looking version
    of the two guards who is introduced as Oguch's assistant, and a
    wildly dressed, painted and tattooed orc whom the chief introduced
    as Shagh-Cohog nuk'Gruumsh - apparently to the mild surprise of
    High Priest Skurgorg and Shagh-Cohog himself - and explained "he
    speaks for Gruumsh here".

    Steve casts Open Elder Gate, which prompts a sad shake of
    the head from Shag-Cohog nuk'Gruumsh, and the gate is activated.
    Party starts going through into a mess of frost spiders who
    fortunately can only come at party one at a time, many attacks of
    opportunity, some breath attacks, party wins, everyone damaged.

    party sleeps in melting cave (Darius, Stalker, Deringa, & Henkles
    (on platform) sleep up above

    night passes ok