(Copied from previous site)
While performing in the square at the end of the Vein, Weber has recently befriended Stonan, who desperately wants out of his job with Luzane Parrin's mines because he is afraid they're about to be sold to Balabar Smenk. Weber has heard first hand the boasting of a group of adventurers from the free city of Greyhawk that they are going to find untold riches in the played out cairns on the SE shore of the lake. Having grown up in Diamond Lake, Weber is pretty sure there isn't anything left but rat droppings and broken junk in that area. However, the idea may have some merit as he knows of a small, forgotten cairn to the north of town that the local teens call the Whispering Cairn. He and Stonan gathered up Stonan's friend Nader and hit the beer garden at the Emporium to talk over adventuring while enjoying some evening refreshments.
As the three of them were discussing the possibilities of wealth in the Whispering Cairn, their renay serving girl was listening intently whenever she passed their table. Towards the end of the night she introduced herself, convinced the three of her usefulness in the endeavor, and quit her job on the spot. The next morning the group of four purchased supplies and a pack mule and headed for the abandoned mining camp that Weber knew to be in the area of the cairn.
Norad had never really fit in with the other druids and rangers he met in the wild, and never fit in with his dwarven kin. While he attends regularly the moots at the Bronzewood Lodge, he has taken up residence in an abandoned mining office near a strange burial cairn that sometimes whispers when the wind blows. He and his companion Fang, a viper, live comfortably off the land and keep to themselves. Today, as he was preparing a breakfast of leftover rabbit stew, Norad saw four scruffy looking travelers approach his humble home. He quickly hid himself, and commanded Fang to hide in the rafters.
Stonan was first to enter the old office and immediately noticed that it was recently used and the large snake trying to hide above his head. As he reared back his axe to strike Norad sprang from his hiding place and commanded "STOP!" Seeing another dwarf Stonan forgot about the snake and greeted his kin. Norad met him with a cold reception and commanded the group to leave immediately. Weber tried to convince the druid that the old mine belonged to his family, and he had every right to kick Norad out and take up residence there. Norad didn't buy the bluff, and grew even more hostile, especially with a dwarf in the party. In a spectacular display of wordsmanship, Weber was able to convince the suspicious druid that Stonan was in fact a largish gnome, and the druid warmed to them and invited them to share breakfast.
Over the meal the group shared their plans with Norad and he agreed to come with them on their exploration of the cairn. Around mid-day the party entered the burial site. They examined an ancient magical transport inscribed with runes and found the remains of a teenager's overnight camp. Further into the cairn they surprised a sleeping pack of wolves who immediately attacked them. The druid cast a spell allowing him to speak to the beasts, offering to feed them if they would stop attacking. Two of the wolves were too hungry to hear reason, and pressed the attack. The larger one was put to sleep by a sweet song from the bard. The two scrawny wolves stopped at the behest of the druid, but the druid had only one rabbit with him, and the other wolf aimed to take the promised food out of the druid himself. The druid was tripped to the ground and his snake quickly came to his aid, felling the mangy cur. The other scrawny wolf finished his rabbit ravenously and emerged from the den as the druid was getting up. The wolf tried to drag the druid back into the den for more food, but the snake again prevailed, felling the already injured wolf. Nader finished off the large sleeping leader of the pack before the druid could protest.
With the bard's and druid's magical energy expended for the day, the party returned to the old office for a night's rest.