As Alaric flies over the river, he is forced back as the air solidifies. No matter how he attempts to maneuver, he is unable to cross the river through the air.
I disbelieve.
Will save
It seems real, as though the plane itself were denying you access.
Alaric attempts to fly higher than the wall blocking his progress as well as attempting to cast dancing lights beyond it.
The "wall" extends all the way to the ceiling of the cavern (about 100 feet up). Your dancing lights spell simply marks the boundary of the "wall." It doesn't illuminate the area beyond it.
"Interesting. Well, this raises a few distinct possibilities. One of them is that a barrier was raised here so that even if one did as we did and followed them through the fountain they would still be unable to follow them deeper into this realm. It is possible that this barrier can only be passed by a password or, perhaps, teleportation. Ensuring that only spellcasters with teleportation abilities could get past this wall. Or it could be that there is a small gap somewhere along the wall and that that is the secret way in."
"I personally think that we should try to teleport past it. Which we can only do if we sleep for 8 hours. Unfortunately this would put us 8-10 hours behind them so let's try to exhaust all possible options beforehand." At this Alaric tries to run dancing lights all along the bottom, trying to make the spell go beyond the barrier. Then he flies upstream as far as he can.
The dancing lights reveal nothing new.
Do Martin and Hascya accompany Alaric upstream?
Intrigued by the strange barrier before them, the party began throwing stuff at it. Alaric’s shoe did not pass through the barrier, but a rock they picked up did. Alaric then retrieved a stick from the forest nearby and flew over to the barrier. Grasping the stick, he thrust it at the barrier. The stick penetrated through, but the barrier still stopped Alaric’s hand from passing. The party realized at this point that matter from this plane could pass through while matter from their own could not.
The party decided to see what would happen if they masked themselves in mud from the river. Hascya rolled around in the mud from the bank, completely covering himself, and plunged into the river. Before he could reach the barrier, however, the mud washed off and he was unable to progress. Martin then told Alaric to roll in the mud and fly at the barrier. Grudgingly, Alaric did so. Covered head to toe in mud, he was able to fly past the barrier. The “river” was actually the edge of an ocean of dark waters; the land that had apparently been on the opposite bank was a trick of the plane. In the distance, Alaric could see a glowing red light. He flew back past the barrier and reported to the party, who decided that they needed a boat.
They traveled upstream (west) for a ways, eventually spotting a campsite lit with blue-burning torches. In a central clearing were a group of small, humanoid creatures mounted on bipedal lizards. By the shore were six boats. Thinking they might buy a boat from these people, the party approached only to discover that the figures were goblins. One of the goblins’ sentries spotted them, and blew his horn, alerting the rest of the group. The goblin shaman and his guards soon came over to the group and asked what they were doing here. The party tried to negotiate with the chief to buy a boat, but they were unable to convince the goblins to part with one. Apparently, the boats were to be used in a sacred goblin ritual that would take two tides to complete. The best offer the party received was that the party would prove themselves warriors by killing “one of the pallid worms that dwell in the caverns,” and bring back its blood in the jug provided by the goblins. The party saw the following as their options: killing the goblins to get a boat (supported by Martin), building a boat themselves (what Hascya wanted to do), or going through with the goblins’ test (Alaric’s intention). Martin decided that Alaric should put his money where his mouth was and try to kill the worm himself, and that he (Martin) wanted to observe this spectacle. Hascya bought a battleaxe from one of the goblins in case they needed to build a boat.
Alaric, followed at a distance by an amused Hascya and Martin, entered the cavern complex pointed out by the goblins, whereupon he saw a pair of giant moth-like creatures feeding on goblin corpses. Upon realizing that the moths were unaffected by his sleep hex, Alaric decided that this might be too much for him to handle on his own. He retreated to Hascya and Martin’s position, and the three set about building a boat of their own. Hascya was able to cut down appropriate trees and shape them. After improvising ropes with vines and bark taken from the nearby trees, he lashed the wood together and formed a makeshift boat and oars. The three carried the boat to the shore and smashed the jug over its bow, christening the boat “Pursuit.” They rolled around in the mud (Hascya obligingly coated Castiel in it), and Martin persuaded Alaric to fill his pack with mud for their return trip. Coated in mud, the three climbed aboard their boat and crossed the magical barrier.
The three adventurers rowed in shifts, allowing them to rest as they paddled for hours across the dark, placid waters. Eventually, they reached the source of the bright, red light: an ancient-looking lighthouse that stood atop an island on the cusp of a great chasm. The waters around the island rushed into the chasm as they secured their boat to the dilapidated docks. When they set foot onto the island, they came under attack by a will-o-wisp. Dispatching it handily (after suffering minor electrical burns), they ventured inside the lighthouse. Two shadow-wreathed figures wielding two serrated swords each attacked. One of them threw down a pellet that engulfed the area in darkness, only for Castiel to counter it with a daylight spell. Martin rushed in and began pounding on the foes. One of the creatures used another darkness pellet, causing Hascya and Alaric to withdraw from the fight. Martin prevailed against both foes, and once the darkness evaporated the trio ventured upstairs.
On the second floor of the lighthouse, the party faced the now-benighted warlock. Trading heavy blows with the party, the warlock used his teleportation and deeper darkness abilities to lead the party on a merry chase within and around the lighthouse. As he walked on the outside wall of the building, Martin reached out through an arrow slit and began bashing the warlock against the tower. The warlock eventually escaped upstairs into the darkness once more, but Martin pursued. Moving blindly around the open topmost level of the lighthouse, Martin chanced to bump into the undead warlock and with a mighty blow from his shield he launched the foe off the tower and into the chasm below.
Within the tower, the party found an urn filled with oily black ashes, and a table with alchemy equipment atop it. In one vial is a mixture of blood and a pinch of the black ashes.
Outside the tower, Castiel speaks up, "This chasm is the uppermost reach of the umbral trenches, where the shadow plane and the plane of negative energy join. To venture into that place is to invite certain death, as the plane itself will swiftly drain your lifeforce."
Additionally, Martin took a moment to examine the books and papers taken from the old temple beneath Silverkeep. The books are:
- Meditations on Divinity, by Leomund Haverstrom. This book discusses theories regarding the nature of deities and how they are able to bestow powers upon their most dedicated followers. It details a number of deities, both contemporary and ancient, and provides information about their worship and rituals.
- The second book is in Elven, and looks very old.
- Most of the notes are incomprehensible, written in a shaky and spidery scrawl in an unknown language, but one is written in the common tongue, recently and with better penmanship, which details a ritual whereby with a pinch of "godmotes" mixed with the blood of a sacrifice, living people can be corrupted by extraplanar undead beings. The undead controls its host, and can cause the corruption to spontaneously kill and reanimate the host as an undead creature.
Ashylia is a well-known figure in elven history, despite having ruled more than four thousand years ago. She is regarded as a dark hero by the elves, someone whose methods were brutal but necessary, and is often referred to as the "Uncrowned Empress."
Intelligence
Martin will search the lighthouse carefully, from top to bottom. Taking 20 on this check if time allows.
Percp: 25
The lighthouse of the interior is largely bare. There are no creature comforts or living spaces. It seems as though this tower hasn't been inhabited by living beings for a very long time.
The alchemist's table on the second floor supports an assortment of alchemical doodads. Among the vials is one filled with blood mixed with black ashes. A small, ornate urn on the other table holds about a pound of the oily, black ashes.
On the uppermost level, a big glowing red orb stands about ten feet above the floor, supported by a solid stone column. The orb gives off the deep red light that led you here. The light pulses periodically, and you notice that the rate of its pulses has begun to accelerate.
"Well, it looks like this island is slowly falling into the chasm. But other than the red orb above, and these reagents I didn't really find much. From what it sounds like with the notes from the earlier hide out, I think this powder is for making those darkness creatures. Might be best to take some of it with us for inspection by the silver keep guards, and maybe pitch the rest of the material into the chasm. As for a way out, can't make heads or tails of this place, but it does seem like the orb is pulsing quicker."
Knowledge (History):
Knowledge (Nobility):
Intelligence:
"These are some interesting books. One of them is an elven text "The Ranks and Categories of Undead", by Ashylia Theryn it is considered the seminal work on undead in the elven nations, and is one of the very few books available on the undead in those lands. It comes from the time when the elven empire fought against necromantic cults. I imagine the fact that it is here would indicate that these necromantic events currently occurring are tied in some manner to the past necromantic events."
"Let's get out of here. With our luck it will be a self destruct device built into the tower in case it is ever taken. Thereby destroying both the attackers who have taken the tower and any elements of the plan." As he says this Alaric gathers up all the books into his arms and runs outside. "Someone else grab the ashes and other materials! My bag is filled with mud!"
"I might be wrong. But I am just going to get the hell out of here just in case."
Does Alaric know how the Elven Empire's conflict with the necromancers ended?
Knowledge (History):
know. Nob:
"Ashylia Theryn? Isn't that, that one elven empress who helped purge the elven kingdoms of the undead? I feel like I remember hearing some bedtime stories about her, when I was young. As far as leaving the tower, I don't think the warlock was planning on leaving, so it's probably safe enough. I think one of you magicly inclined folks should go an' inspect that orb upstairs."
On the uppermost level of the lighthouse, a big glowing red orb stands about ten feet above the floor, supported by a solid stone column. The orb gives off the deep red light that led you here. The light pulses brightly periodically, and you notice that the rate of its pulses has begun to accelerate.
Knowledge (Planes):
Intelligence:
Alaric, wary of the tower exploding or being destroyed, uses fly to get to the top of the tower ready to fly away from it at the first sign of trouble from it.
After examining it Alaric says "The pulses are quickening at a constant rate. They will be near-constant in an hour. Whatever this is counting down to it will do it in an hour."
Castiel, exclaims "The orb is emitting an overwhelming aura of evil!"
Martin stands nervously examining the pillar, fidgeting with his mithral guard pin, and says to Alaric, "What makes you think the tower is going to explode? Also, if we leave, where are we headed to next?"
"Nothing specific. All I know is that it is what I would do. I would rig the tower to become unusable should it fall. That way my enemies couldn't use my battlements against me."
"It may not be the case, but either way I am going to wait outside of the tower for whatever is going to happen to play out with me away from it."
With that Alaric floats to the ground a little way aways from the tower.
"what do you mean, 'rig the tower', how exactly would you go about doing that?"
Knowledge (Arcana) For what spell the light might be indicating or what spell it might be a part of:
"I don't know. First thing to come to mind: a mechanism releases dropping down layer upon layer of explosive runes blowing the place to kingdom come. First thought."
Alaric pauses for a moment after saying this to examine the sphere further. His face pales. "Outside the tower will not be far enough. This is worse. So much worse than I thought."
"There has been a permanent resilient sphere active holding this tower and this island in place as well as a dimensional lock which has been holding the sphere, and the lighthouse above the chasm. I suspect it has also been keeping this void from spreading across more of this realm."
"We must leave now. And get as far from this island as we can before the spells fail. Or we shall join our friend Luca below." With that Alaric flies to the boats and begins making them ready. "And make sure you grab the ashes and other materials."
As Alaric moves for the boats, a deep voice begins speaking inside your heads. LEAVING ALREADY? INTERESTING.
As Martin hears the voice, he will quickly scope some of the blood/ashe contents into a vial, and then slip it into his back. Once done, he will pull out his sword.
MITHRAL GUARD, YOU HAVE DONE US SERVICE. YOU OTHERS MAY YET SERVE. WHAT IS IT THAT YOU WANT?
Alarid looks around "To end the necromantic events! To put an end to the wight problem of Silverkeep and make sure that no city faces the same fate as I heard befell Westwend. Do you want to stop us?"
THE ELVES DESTROYED WESTWEND. ALREADY THEIR AGENTS MANEUVER WITHIN SILVERKEEP. WE HAVE NO DESIRE TO SEE SILVERKEEP LOST TO THE ELVES. BUT, WE DIGRESS. WHAT DO YOU - EACH OF YOU - WANT? WHAT DO YOU REALLY, REALLY, WANT?
Alaric looks like he is about to talk back pauses, looks around like "I can't believe I am doing this" and says "I want Leto back in his original body and another situation dealt with. Why do you ask? Are you offering to help?"
Does this seem like a malevolent voice or a good voice?
It's an utterly alien voice. It feels like metal screeching in your head and down your spine while sounding very deep, but you understand it with perfect clarity.
Alaric casts detect magic hoping to see where this voice might be coming from.
You don't detect anything that seems like the source of the voice. The only magic other than that of your companions comes from the spells upon the tower.
I wish to reclaim the sacred lands of my ancestors, and win back my place within my tribe.
Halting their efforts to prepare the boat, the party stopped and conversed with the mysterious voice in their heads. It offered to help Hascya and Alaric with their personal problems… if they would drink from the vials containing the ashes. Unsatisfied with the voice’s offer and concerned with Castiel’s astonishment at their willingness to talk with what he considered to be an obviously evil being, the party decided to seek outside counsel. Directing Castiel to commune with the forces of good, the party learned that the voice did not have their best intentions at heart, that the cult served the voice, that the voice and the cult were behind the undeadification of Westwend, that they should not stay on the island, and that they should cooperate with Nerissa.
Taking this advice to heart, but still curious about what was about to happen, the party rowed about 300 meters away from the island and waited. The light atop the tower pulsed brighter and more rapidly, ultimately bursting forth into a deep red light as the tower and the island it stood upon tumbled over the edge of the chasm. Great fissures emerged around where the island had been as the chasm grew larger. The party paddled west, towards the nearest shore, when they spotted the red light from atop the tower heading their way. Obviously outpacing their boat, they enacted a desperate plan: shoving on handy haversack inside another. The extradimensional storage spaces tore open a rift, seriously injuring the party and destroying everything contained within Martin and Alaric’s bags, along with the bags themselves.
The party found itself in a series of tunnels lined with luminescent gemstones. Alaric immediately resuscitated his injured familiar, while the others took stock of their location. They were still in their (now battered) boat atop a mound within a cave system. The gems gave off sufficient light to show the party their surroundings. After looking around briefly, Alaric tried to pry a gem loose from the wall, only for it to come to life and attack. Quickly losing its gemlike appearance, the ooze bubbled forth from the wall, lashing out with its acidic form. It corroded Alaric’s armor, Hascya’s sword, and Martin’s clothes. To prevent further damage to his gear, Martin grabbed the oars from their boat and began bashing the giant ooze with them. Alaric managed to weaken the ooze with a spell, and Hascya, while initially reluctant to remain in the fray, joined in as well. When Alaric loosed a cone of flames at the ooze, the ooze took cover behind the boat, escaping the brunt of the blast. The boat was not so lucky. Incensed to see his hard-wrought boat burning up, Hascya let out a mighty war cry of ”BOOOAAAAAAATTTTT!!!” and grabbed the flaming aft section, which he proceeded to bash the ooze with, killing it.
"We've had a big day. I say we rest before exploring any further. Who knows what this world might hold." With that Alaric settles in for the night. Each of them does watches in shifts. Warmed by the burning remains of the boat that had carried them so far.
Fort Save:
Fort:
You spend some time resting up in the caverns, recovering from your ordeals. Alaric wakes up feverish, appearing sickly and uncoordinated.
Suddenly, you hear screams echoing through the caverns.
Heal:
Alaric lets loose with a hacking cough, struggling to speak through it "God damn it! I got filth fever. I must have caught it during our escapades in the sewers"
Heal:
Martin looks at alaric, examining him, when suddenly the scream echo through the caves,
" What in the blazes was that?"
The voice sounds male, and it sounds like a wordless scream of panic.
Alaric stumbles to his feet. "Who is it! What is going on?!" Alaric shouts as he runs toward the voice.
Alaric runs through a large chamber, passing a smaller chamber to the right, and turns a corner. Lying bloodied on the ground is the corpse of a flaming, dwarf-like figure. The creature's head has been caved in via tremendous blunt force, but whatever slew it is nowhere to be seen. An odd, buzzing rumble can be heard in the area.
The corpse wears red-hued leather armor that has been crusted with dirt, and carried a flaming spear. The orientation of the body indicates that he was killed from behind as he fled.
Azers have been known to form warbands at the behest of a more powerful being, usually a fire giant or an efreeti, but sometimes an Azer chief decides the time is right to pillage other planes for slaves to work their forges.