8/5/4713 Pathfinders return to the Therassic Spire, enter dungeon, find Luonim the mad Bloatmage (cured), the Spirit Naga (killed). Dispel a fey fish, bypass river demons, meet Caulborn and travel to the Dark Forest.
Quillax Account
Journal [9-April]
After our long rest, we woke and decided to go to the market to see off our extra magical items to our new Dwarven friend and pick up some more reviving materials, however, he was not open.
We headed over to the nearby jeweler, where we bought diamonds (for Jarrick's spell) and the unguents (for my spell) necessary for the spells. By the time we had completed that shopping, Gadkah had opened and we sold him our magical items.
Due to the amounts of money involved, we had to go to the Bank of Abadah to collect it from his account and open our own so we were not carrying as much. We agreed that if the entire party died, the account would be bequeathed to Sepheria's sister.
While there, the branch of the Bank offered to help us in regards to the Sword. They would take it from us for 9500gp instead of us bringing it back to Wen Histani.
We headed back to the Spire.
We passed the door on the right marked Orrery, which Sepheria explained was a mechanical model of the solar system (with much difficulty considering Sepheria and Jarrick were both interested) and then the door on the left marked Moon Garden. The third door on the left was marked Centrifuge.
After some consideration, I stoned shaped an anchor point outside the door and threaded ropes through it with Clank acting as the anchor. Claw volunteered to go in first and as such was secured to a rope.
We checked the door for traps and found blood on the handle, we considered that this was from the bloatmage, who oozes blood. The door opened to a spherical room. Inside Luonim the Vast (the bloatmage) was standing on a raised dais in the centre of the room, saying he could control the spin of the world. It was quite obvious that he was driven mad, most probably by the psychic librarian blob at the entrance.
Sepheria was secured with a rope also as she stepped into the room to try to talk with Luonim, however, he flipped a switch that activated the room, which sent the entire spherical room spinning in all directions, cutting the ropes and leaving the rest of us outside, able to see only brief glimpses when the room aligned with the door.
Claw was able to grab Luonim and pull the lever again, causing the room to slow and realign with the door as it stopped. We tied Luonim up and gagged him, particularly when he tried to fireball us. Luckily Sepheria was able to block it.
We searched him and found:
- a potion of healing
- a wand of shield, with 11 charges
- a ring of protection +1
- a masterwork dagger
- a pouch of leeches
We brought him to the librarians and after some discussion, we decided to try to Dispel Magic on him, which freed his mind of the spell. He told us the Rogue may be in a bad way. We left him under the care of the librarians and continued back along our path (convincing Sepheria once again to pass the Orrery with difficulty).
We continued through the Centrifuge room into the next room, labelled the Water Chamber. I cast Water Breathing as a ritual on the party and we stepped inside. There was a few feet of water on the floor and an odd fish-like creature (a Grodair) trapped in a large metal cage in the middle of the room, with a metal cap strapped to it's head protruding with wires.
Thick metal doors behind us and ahead of us slammed shut and the room started to fill with water and a sharp electric shock passed through the water. Sepheria quickly mounted the broom to get above the water and cast Banishment on the Grodair. The water stopped increasing so Claw swam over and ripped the metal hat the Grodair was wearing from the wires. He got shocked but the water started to recede and eventually the doors opened.
The fish never returned, so we understood it was a permanent banishment as the Grodair was a fey creature, so it had been freed and sent home.
There was nothing written on the next door, so we entered cautiously.
Inside were two mosaics done in black and greys. On the North wall, there was a valley, which we knew to be the legendary Dark Forest, home to the Dark Rider. On the South wall was depicted Xavorax, the City of Silence, home of vampires and Caulborns. On the far wall was as door with a sedehron and a large onix stone set into the door.
Silasni - the dark naga - was by the door. She was wearing a Mind Shielding ring of jade on her tail. She told us that the Halfling was killed by Hell Wasps in the room past the Orrery, his wife the Monk went mad and was probably still with his body.
Sepheria talks to Silasni and determines that the Naga wants the Shard for herself. We decide that she is not a safe master for the Shard and Claw charges at her. Silasni banishes Sepheria, which enrages the rest of us. Claw hits her twice and she responds with a Flame Strike that hits my, Jarrick, and Claw.
I took Earth Elemental form and struck her. Clank moved in and readied an action to strike if he could reach her.
Jarrick shield bashed her and was able to knock her prone. Claw hit Silasni again and she tried to bite Jarrick but missed. I struck her with my stone fists, aiming down her mouth so she could not bite anyone else, then stepped back to let Clank strike her and he destroyed her (as much as one can kill as Dark Naga since they are effectively immortal and she'll come back eventually). Sepheria returned and collected the ring from the limp tail.
Looking at the paintings, we determine that the Castle in the North wall mosaic must belong to the Dark Rider also known as the Black Huntsman.
We know rumours of this being. He is said to go out on a cold, moonless night with his Shadow Hounds to hunt his prey. The hunt doesn't end until the Rider catches his prey and calls the human's name then kills them. Rumours say that sometimes he adds the soul to his pack of hounds. We also believe that Kazoug may have formed a pact with the Dark Rider.
Jarrick can sense that there is supernatural evil behind the next door and after some discussion, I touch the door in my elemental form. It lights up the onix ball but my stone 'fingers' are too big to draw on it. Claw goes up and tries to draw the symbol of Gluttony on it but the response is to strike out with lightning, hitting all but me.
Jarrick heals up Claw some then steps forward and draws the rune of Greed. The door opens.
We retreat for a short rest in the other room for Clank as he is badly damaged. Once we have rested, we continue into the next room. There is a large river (River of Memory) and we know that something is in the water, watching us. We spy several Toad Demons lurking under the surface.
Jarrick goes forward and strikes one then backs up away from the water. Claw does the same.
After consulting with Sepheria, I cast Wall of Stone as a cap over the water and we simply run over the river, leaving the Toad Demons trapped under the stone for the moment.
We knew that beyond the River of Memory, we were to meet with the Caulborns at the Black Menhir, so when we approach the next room and see a giant brain-like creature and three Caulborn standing next to a large black obelisk, we knew we were in the correct location.
Sepheria speaks with and negotiates with the brain-like creature and it tells us: To recover the Shard, one must destroy the Black Rider, which aligns with their goals. They want the Black Rider gone. Sepheria informs that that we will be keeping the Shard and after further negotiation, they agree.
We ask what they know about the Black Rider and are told:
- Kazoug was afraid of the Black Rider
- The Black Rider approached Kazoug, concerned about the Black Forest's magic.
- Kazoug agreed to use the Shard of Gluttony to shore up the Black Forest's magic in exchange for the Rider guarding the Shard.
- The Black Rider was possibly a servant a Farasma, Goddess of Death
The Caulborn activate the portal and the world changes
[ 7325xp each]
No comments:
Post a Comment