Once he catches his breath, Frantino will cast detect magic and search this room systematically, especially the far corner beyond the summoning circle. The Roll20 handout for Og-Zeugus shows it holding an axe of some kind, is that accurate? Frantino will make sure to examine it closely. If it's that old and survived this long it must be magical!
Frantino is underwhelmed by the amount of loot here that we can sell before we head to Riddleport to track down the cultists. When we check in on the otyugh-man he'll look at the bodies that Ayita brought up from the pit, maybe some of them had possessions that the derro-vampires failed to remove before they threw the bodies down there? It's too bad we can't remove the pedestal with the holographic image of Magnimar as it once was, that would make a nice addition to the entrance hall in Kaddren Manor! Before we eventually leave, we'll also gather up all of the trinkets that the gargoyle had accumulated, not just the stuff we brought to trade for information before his inevitable betrayal.
Yes, it could be. It would have to be another qlippoth from the Abyss.
The bodies in the water, if pulled from the pit, have a few items of value, including
- a masterwork mithral dagger;
- a +1 breastplate adorned with a carving of a whale being eaten by a living - ship crewed by skeletons;
- a silver-and-bronze hip flask carved with an image of a romantic couple being stalked by a werewolf (worth 100 gp);
- and a pair of gold-and horn-rimmed lenses of figment piercing.
Frantino collects up his cloak and grabs a bunch of the other stuff that was here before, carrying them to the ledge outside the door where we've been entering. He's working off the assumption that the vampire won't go outside until dark.
Frantino collects up his cloak and grabs a bunch of the other stuff that was here before, carrying them to the ledge outside the door where we've been entering. He's working off the assumption that the vampire won't go outside until dark.
NO. Good catch.
"Do we know if he was implanted with an egg or if he was just subjected to secondary infection, like what happened to me? I can try to look back in time to see the kinds of activities that took place here, maybe even be able to watch how he got infected. However, I can only do it in two different locations today."
At 5th level, the occult historian can see into a ruin’s past. This reveals the same information that can be gathered with the spell retrocognition, except the occult historian can use it only in ruins. If the occult historian succeeds at the check outlined above, she sees the events that occurred in the ruin over the past hour; for each minute she concentrates, she can see 1 additional hour into the ruin’s past. If the result of her check exceeds the DC by 5 or more, she can see the events that occurred over the past week, plus for 1 additional week per minute she concentrates. If the result of her check exceeds the DC by 10 or more, she can see the events of the past year, plus for 1 additional year per minute she concentrates. If the result of her check exceeds the DC by 20 or more, she can see the events of the past century, plus for 1 additional century per minute she concentrates.
An occult historian can use ruin reading once per day, plus an additional time every 4 levels thereafter, to a maximum of five times per day at 18th level.
"I can try it in the room where we killed the qlippoth and watch how the cultists were harvesting his eggs, but if they brought the eggs somewhere else then I'll have to do this a second time. But where? The room with all the tables outside the cult leader's room is an option, or maybe the room the otyugh-man is in. There may be clues in the books and notes in the leader's room, but those will take time to thoroughly review. Maybe if he is lucid when he wakes up, the partially polymorphed man might be able to tell us himself."
Once we decide on a second location, he'll focus again.
"Anyway, if I could be cured perhaps he can, too. It would be tremendously useful if we could research and test a cure for this plague, just in case this cult is able to successfully release the plague here or in some other city or town. If people realize most of us spent time in Roderic's Cove, our neighbors there might be a target for a test run."
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"If you remember, the man/creature had already been infected with a version of the plague and could not be cured with a simple Remove Disease. It would require a Break Enchantment since it was already infected for who knows how long. All of you wanted to try to cure it but the cure is beyond us at the moment. There is no point in going back to the creature since we secured it. More than likely the egg was used in the creation process which should be listed in the notes we discovered. We should take everything back to the Council and let them determine what can be done. In the meantime, we should follow the Cultists and stop them from further spreading the Plague. We definitely know where they are headed next. The Council needs to know about the Gargoyle/Vampire still on the loose with its plague glove.
We still have not discovered or located Runelord Thybidos remains or what the Cultists wanted with them or the Runestones we collected back on the Island. Much of that secondary complex has been unsearched."
"We know the cult was heading to Riddleport, if we can leave quickly we may even have a day to spare to swing by Rivenrake Island on the way so we can finish exploring Runelord Thybidos' burial complex."
Frantino slips into a calm trance-like state. The walls shimmer in the collapsed room where the body of Og-Zeugus lies, eventually disappearing.
Like flipping through the pages of a picture book, he sees the qlippoth confined to its engraved spell prison. A disfigured female drow, clearly in charge of a group of cultists surrounding her, speaks to the qlippoth, repeatedly over the course of weeks (months?). Eventually, she and her cultists begin bringing captives to the qlippoth, who impregnates them with eggs (one assumes). The living captives are taken away out of Frantino's sight. None of the captives look like the otyugh-hybrid monstrosity that the team encountered earlier.
The drow woman, wearing a holy symbol of Yamasoth, continues entering the room, speaking with the qlippoth repeatedly. They seem to be strategizing. She brings scrolls, maps, other items and they confer for hours (?) at a time. This goes on for months.
Only once or twice does Frantino see the necromancer, Erigantus, in the room with the drow woman. The final time, there are TWO Erigantuses with the drow woman.
After that, the room becomes boring. Nothing happens, except the qlipptoh moves around, close to the circle, then away from the circle. Nobody comes. Nobody is seen in Frantino's vision after that.
The walls shimmer again and Frantino's vision ends.
Hopefully Frantino can narrate his visions while the trance is ongoing, otherwise he'll have to quickly describe everything to his friends before the details start to fade.
"I didn't see how our remaining prisoner was infected so perhaps it wasn't a direct egg implant, maybe it was a secondary infection from one of the other captives that I saw."
Now that he's seen impregnated captives, does it seem that the bodies in the water at the bottom of the pit look familiar?
"I can do this again in another location, I'm thinking the large room with all the tables near the cult leader's office. In fact, if I set up less than 30' from the office I should be able to see some of what happened there, too. This is an unconventional method of gathering information that they couldn't have anticipated."
Frantino's vision wavers again as he applies his occult abilities to the time stream, peeling back layer after layer, day after day, until he sees
The drow woman leading various experiments. Most of them are on new people, new faces. Horribly, he watches as she and her cultists take the unwilling patients and cut them open to find the horrific qlippoth eggs.
The bodies are removed and not seen again.
The new experiment subjects are implanted, infected, injected, stabbed, and given nearly every single terrible way a plague could be passed to a person. The cultists quickly stop implanting eggs and instead seem to perform some sort of necromantic rites upon them before dissolving them into a liquid jelly of some sort. Soon, even that is gone, replaced by a less viscous liquid derived from the eggs.
Over the year of time Frantino watches, he sees the plague experiments progress from failures to minor successes, to the nearly perfect success of the half-otyugh half-man. When he transforms, slowly, over the course of days, the drow cult leader is ecstatic. Frantino notices that the half-man half-otyugh abomination is incredibly, constantly, hungry. Whenever fed, he/it appears to regain composure and is able to answer questions from the cultists.
As the visions cease, Frantino realizes that he has not seen any of the people recovered from the water-filled pit.
After witnessing horrors no one should have to see, Frantino goes into a corner and heaves up whatever food he ate today. After some sips of water, he relays the vision to the party. He knows he's going to have nightmares for a long time.
"The most useful thing we learned is that the man-otyugh aberration that we locked in the other room seems to temporarily regain his senses when fed, and he can answer questions, at least he could do so not that long ago. Hopefully he can answer some of our questions after we give him some food, What should we ask him? After that, I think it's time to gather everything up and leave this nightmare tower. I, for one, REALLY NEED to leave."
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"I am not sure how much it will help us asking it questions. Names, descriptions, clothing, etc. can all be changed. It may be more detriment than help. If the "food" we left it is not enough to suffice, it may attack us again and I do not have any more spells which can neutralize it without killing it. The whole reason we locked it up was for its own and others protection until we could discover a cure. We have the notes for one but do not seem to have the time to create it if we are to stop the Cultists from advancing further.
Let us go over what we know as of now. There is a disfigured female drow who we believe is the Yamasoth Cultist leader. Journals and notes about the plague experiments were written by someone named Leptonia so we can presume that they are one and the same. She has perfected the Plague with the half-man half-otyugh abomination.
She worked together with an ally Necromancer named Erigantus who had a double. The doppelganger that first attacked Doc was a pale man in black and grey robes which was guarding a table with the skull of Xanesha protected by a circle of runes. We can presume that this was a copy of the necromancer, Erigantus so the original is still out there.
Leptonia purchased passage for 21 people, presumably the Cultists, on a ship called Sea Moth and was scheduled to depart for Riddleport the day before we first entered the Gecko. According to the journals, a man named Clegg Zincher is in Riddleport. We know there is an event named ZINCHER’S AUCTION on a specific date for three scrolls of true resurrection.
The Cultists are trying to resurrect a newly arisen Runelord of Sloth named Runelord Krune who was killed.
The gargoyle/vampire named Sumsarru is still out there with claws that can infect with a version of the plague."
It is an 8-day voyage to Riddleport. From clues left in the Gecko, and from Frantino's visions, Leptonia and her cultists left maybe one or two days ago. You just missed them!
The auction is set for 9 days from now.
Putting two and two together, you believe that the "auction" mentioned earlier is likely a euphemism for "steal" and the true auction is the arena.
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"I remember hearing something while we were in Magnimar of quite a monumental shift in Riddleport: the arena and its entire business is being auctioned off to a new owner. The current owner auctioning it off I believe is Clegg Zincher and was set for 9 days from now.
Putting two and two together, I do believe that the "auction" mentioned earlier in the journal is likely a euphemism for "steal" and the true auction is the arena.
So we have little time to spare if any at all!"
If we haven't left the Gecko yet, Frantino recommends we make haste. There are some items to be sold and shopping to be done on a tight schedule before getting back to sea.
"We need to report our findings to the city via the Sihedron Council as quickly as possible. These notebooks are going to take a while to research to see if some kind of treatment can be developed prior to an outbreak or attack, whether it's the gargoyle by himself or if the cult is successful in weaponizing it for widespread infection."
"I'm torn. This is my city and my family that are under threat! I have the skills, knowledge, and city connections, as well as first-hand experience with the gargoyle and getting infected, to lead Magnimar's research efforts, but the timeline is too demanding to ask that we wait before departing for Riddleport. Perhaps the Council can recommend someone else to accompany you in my place to chase down the cultists? Don't forget the incomplete mission with Runelord Thybidos on Rivenrake Island, with favorable winds you might have a day to spare to finish exploring his tomb en route to Riddleport. Or perhaps that will have to be delayed yet again until after the cult is dealt with."
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I agree that getting the notebooks to the Council as soon as possible is a good first step. They may have suggestions as to whether we do more here or head to Riddleport. If you'd like to work on a separate part of this, Frantino, we'll definitely miss you! -- but we can stay in touch! Provided we don't get eaten by anything of course.
Ter manages to look sideways at everyone all at once.
The team leaves the Gecko quickly, returning to Magnimar proper easily. Frantino contacts his Aunt Zimandi, requesting an emergency meeting of the Sihedron Council, or at least those who are available on such short notice.
The Council assembles and, after a brief discussion, asks Frantino, Nasir, Ezranadir and Ayita to join them and debrief the council fully.
After hearing the details of Leptonia and her cult and the Polymorph Plague, Zimandi puts the question to the team, "So... what would you do? We can fund a trip to Riddleport, of course. Captain Antefalle and Tyalee's Whim are still in port. Her experience with the winds of the Lost Coast would be invaluable. And I know she's tied up at Riddleport's docks more than a few times."
The other councilors interrupt Zimandi, whisper briefly to her. She turns once again to the heroes. "And what about you, nephew? Will you stay or will you go to Riddleport?"
Frantino looks uneasy. "I would like to continue traveling with my companions to track down this cult, but I believe I can do more to help unravel this Polymorph Plague by staying here, at least for now. However, I don't want to leave the team short-handed, can you recommend an experienced adventurer to augment the team? Nasir, Ayita, and I are all strong melee combatants when the situation requires it, but we have struggled a bit against flying creatures and other enemies fighting from a distance. Ezranadir has powerful spells but he could use some assistance when the enemy is spread out."
The Council confers for a moment. Zimandi then continues, "We don't ourselves keep track of every adventurer who passes through the city, but another acquaintance of your party does keep her ear to the ground. I believe that Audrahni has been reconnecting with some old friends since you brought her back from Roderic's Cove a few weeks ago, and she may know of a possible candidate. Please come back in a few hours to give us time to reach out to her, you should use this time to make preparations before you leave for Riddleport."
You have some time to sell your loot and make some purchases.
When you return to Kaddren Manor you find Audrahni conferring with the Council, along with a hulking half-orc with an orcish hornbow and battleaxe. "This is Half-Tsuurm, a wilderness guide familiar with the dangers of Varisia and an accomplished archer. Of the adventurers in the city at this moment, I believe he best meets your requirements as they were relayed to me. I'll let him introduce himself so you can decide for yourself."
You sense he has the same supernatural attachment with Audrahni that Frantino has drawn on a few times.
"So you heerows SeeHeadRon Cownsil tell me bout," says the orc. When he steps forward you can see that he's actually not that hulking. Kinda small for an orc, that's for sure. Maybe on the slight side even for a half-orc.
But his first three right-hand fingers are calloused and his hornbow looks well-strung and strong.
"I'm Half-Tsuurm. I'm good at guiding groups through forests, mountains, anywhere, really. Cownsil says I can go if I guide you heerows to Riddleport. I don know why you wanna go there, but... OK. Audrahni sez I should do. Good for my 'soul' she sez. Pfft."
He looks the group over, not so subtly. He looks at the group, notices that only Ayita has a bow and frowns. He obviously notices Social Control and how Ayita carries it, instead of her bow.
"Yeah. I go with you. I been to Riddleport. Pirates. Fun."
He looks at Nasir and his amazing gear.
"Hmm. I get same share as everybody else, yeah?"
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Ezranadir quizzically examines the Half-Orc in return. He responds to Audrahni, "Hmm, an archer? It may be a small problem going from Frantino, a front-line combatant protecting those of us in the rear to a ranged one. But if he already knows Riddleport and the pirates there then he may be some help. I guess we have little choice going up against 22 Cultists." He asks the group, "What say the rest of you?"
Hearing the half-orc's question about shares, he turns back, "I would say perhaps a half-share. Maybe if you brought the whole-Tsuurm, you could get a whole-share." He smirks as he raises an eyebrow.
Introducing everyone, he points over to Ayita, "That is Ayita of the Hawk Clan, Magnum Force." He indicates himself, "I am named Ezranadir, The Enforcer." He slaps Nasir's shield, "This one is Nasir al-Rafik Kamal, Sudden Impact." and then hitching his thumb over to Doc, "He is our healer, Gregory C. Hatfield or Doc, The Dead Pool."
Hearing the half-orc's question about shares, he turns back, "I would say perhaps a half-share. Maybe if you brought the whole-Tsuurm, you could get a whole-share." He smirks as he raises an eyebrow.
"You wouldn't be smirking if whole Tsuurm was here. Why you think Half-Tsuurm is here in Magnihmarr and not back in Belkzen?"
Ayita looks at Ezranadir quizzically.
Full share for the time you spend with us, of course. I welcome you!
She looks around the half-orc for signs of an animal companion.
"No animal friend. Big rat yummy when starving," Half-Tsuurm says, shrugging.
Before this meeting, you had time to sell unwanted loot and make purchases. Who is taking charge of assembling the list? Knowing that the party needs upgrades while he is staying in Magnimar with his powerful family, Frantino opts to forfeit his share.
"Are heerows ready to go? Riddleport is far," says Half-Tsuurm.
"Half-Kaddren, when does boat leave?" he asks Frantino.
Frantino looks from Audrahni to Half-Tsuurm and says, ”Good question, let’s go down to the docks and see.”
At the urging of the Sihedron Council to make haste, the team wraps up its shopping as you make your way back to the docks, where you meet back up with Captain Sursha Antefalle, standing on the deck of Tyalee’s Whim. She doesn’t seem surprised to see you, and some of the other crewmembers can be seen scowling as they drop coins into the outstretched hand of the half-orc first mate “Elbows” Eddi. Sursha speaks to no one in particular, ”Told you they’d come crawling back aboard in a matter of days. No one can resist the charms of the Whim.” She tilts her head a little and studies Half-Tsuurm and his bow for a moment, glances at Audrahni, and finally gives you permission to board.
The Council has sent a steward who speaks softly with Captain Antefalle and hands her a clinking bag. She checks its heft, slides several of the coins into her hand, and returns the lightened purse back to the steward. ”So, a trip to Riddleport, you really want to mess around with those pirates? Well, let’s strike a deal like before, you agree to help defend the ship should we be attacked again and I agree to give you passage at a discount. Seem fair? You do seem to attract trouble wherever you go and I have some valuable cargo this time.”
The deck is busy with cargo being loaded and Sursha beckons for you to join her in her stateroom. She sees that Elbows has matters well in hand as a few very large and heavy-looking crates marked with the symbol of the Golemworks are waiting to be swung over and lowered one at a time through the cargo hatch by a dock crane, and she follows you in and shuts the door.
Once she hears about your need to arrive in Riddleport in the next week, she pulls out her chart of the Varisian Gulf, a well-worn map with numerous notations in the margins. ”You’re in luck, at this time of year there’s a current that runs clockwise around the Gulf, as long as you’re willing to travel a little closer to the shore than most folks are comfortable with. If your competitors are on that scow the Sea Moth then you caught a break, Captain Croft is as cautious as he is predictable. Always a pleasure to see him at the poker table. Anyway, they still have a sizable head start but we can narrow their lead significantly by the time we get to Riddleport.”
If anyone asks about the possibility of returning to Rivenrake Island on the way, she purses her lips and studies the chart silently. Finally she says, ”We can probably spare about half a day and still get you to Riddleport in time, but it’ll be tight. Do any of you have the ability to put in a good word with Gozreh for us?”
The sounds of cargo loading fades and Elbows knocks on the door, then sticks his head in without waiting for permission. ”Captain, the tides are favorable right now so we should push off soon or we’ll have to wait a half day.” Sursha rises, expecting the rest of you to do the same. ”We’re departing immediately but it’ll be a few days before I need your decision, we’ll see how much the winds and seas are helping us as we proceed. In the meantime, get settled in your quarters and I’ll see you for dinner.”
Audrahni has a few quiet words of warning for Half-Tsuurm, then she, Frantino, and the steward depart. They watch as the crew completes their tasks and the ship catches a breeze and glides away from the pier, swiftly heading out of Magnimar's harbor.
Nasir scrutinizes the half-orc and then extends a hand in greeting.
"Salaam, Half-Tsuurm. It is good to have another strong warrior and tracker join our groub. I look forward to observing your browess."
He then turns to Frantino.
"I wish you luck in stopping the sbread of zis blague before it becomes uncontrollable. We will miss your bresence, Frantino Kraddren. Be well until we meet again."
Frantino bids each party member a fond farewell before going ashore. "I look forward to hearing about your successful exploits when I see you next."
At the last second, he reaches into his belt pouch and withdraws the unused wand of cure light wounds, handing it to Doc. "I almost forgot this, it was purchased with party funds and rightfully belongs to those most likely to see action. May you never need it."
Nasir scrutinizes the half-orc and then extends a hand in greeting.
"Salaam, Half-Tsuurm. It is good to have another strong warrior and tracker join our groub. I look forward to observing your browess."
"You got good stuff," Half-Tsuurm says, looking covetously at Nasir's gear. "Where you learn to use this fancy 'quipment? Where your weird accent from?"
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Ezranadir purchases the following spell scrolls;
3rd Lvl Ablative Barrier (375 gp), Daylight (375 gp), Greater Stunning Barrier (375 gp)
He will be learning and scribing them into his spellbook using Read Magic. There is no material cost since it is a Blessed Book.
Ablative Barrier
Daylight
Greater Stunning Barrier
He will create the following scrolls during the journey;
Ablative Barrier @ 7th lvl (Takes 1 day to create & costs 262.5 gp)
Ablative Barrier @ 7th lvl (Takes 1 day to create & costs 262.5 gp)
Ablative Barrier @ 7th lvl (Takes 1 day to create & costs 262.5 gp)
Ayita looks at Ezranadir quizzically.
"Full share for the time you spend with us, of course. I welcome you!"
"Of course he can have a whole share! Does no one bloody joke anymore? Sheesh!"
Ezranadir speaks up when the Council Steward pays for passage to Riddleport, "Is that going to be one way or round trip. I am guessing The Council will want to learn of what transpires, correct?"
He replies to Captain Antefalle, "Only about half a day on Rivenrake? That will not be enough time so we should probably tackle that when we return."
"Frantino, it has been a pleasure traveling with you. If you happen to find a cure for the Polymorph Plague then do not forget the poor soul we had to leave locked up in the Gecko!"
"You got good stuff," Half-Tsuurm says, looking covetously at Nasir's gear. "Where you learn to use this fancy 'quipment? Where your weird accent from?"
"I learned how to fight as a member of za Imperial Guard in Qadira. It helps to be skilled in order to kill zose sly Taldans.
I am interested to see how good you are with your weapon of choice, Half-Tsuurm."
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Ayita is re-arranging the various smallish purchases, including 2 new potions of Cure Moderate Wounds. She shows our new group member her various weapon blanches plus the holy weapon balm.
These are all better on arrows than a melee weapon, you get 10 arrows rather than one chance with one weapon. They last a minute. Here's some for you, I bet you can use that wonderful bow quite well.
She shows the Shoanti engravings on her own bow; they look similar to some of her tattoos.
She doesn't have enough to get another Restoration spell I believe, without sacrificing everything else.
Ayita offers the Half-Orc a Holy Weapon Balm, and Adamantine, Cold Iron, and Silver Blanches. (I noticed he has arrows good against incorporeal creatures already.)
Her list
Holy Weapon Balm 4 (x 30 gp = 120 gp)
Holy Water 7 (x 25 = 175 gp)
Alchemist Fire 3 (x 20 = 60 gp)
Raining arrow 1 )x 30 = 30gp)
Weapon Blanches:
Adamantine 1 (x 100 = 100gp)
Cold Iron 2 (x 20 = 40gp)
Ghost Salt 2 (x 200 = 400gp)
Silver 2 (x 5 = 10 gp)
CMW potion x 2 = 600gp
1535
I am interested to see how good you are with your weapon of choice, Half-Tsuurm."[/b]
"You are smart to wait and see. But I am great with bow. So great SeeHedRon Cownsil let me go. Cannot keep bow genius down."
Ayita offers the Half-Orc a Holy Weapon Balm, and Adamantine, Cold Iron, and Silver Blanches. (I noticed he has arrows good against incorporeal creatures already.)
"Mmmmm. Nice. 'preciate," says Half-Tsuurm to Ayita, taking the blanches.
On the fifth night, Sursha looks quite proud of herself, despite the day's storm that just put some strain on the ship's rigging. Her navigation did come much closer to the chain of islands marking the western side of the Varisian Gulf than usual, but her charts appear very accurate. So far.
"I asked if one of you could ask Gozreh for help but turns out we didn't need him, I'm just that good! We got here even faster than I'd expected, we'll be by your landing beach first thing in the morning. If you want to go ashore you'll have more like 8 or 9 hours to finish your exploration, or whatever you need to do, before we need to get back underway. If you want. My crew and I could use the time to make some repairs before we continue. Nothing critical, but we'll lose some speed and handling without them. Anyway, I've heard skepticism from your wizard that this isn't enough time, is that your group consensus? I suppose you could see how far you get and leave it incomplete if our departure deadline approaches. Not that I'd just leave you here, it's your deadline to get to Riddleport in two days."
"We can recover more from zis tomb/brison if we are all in agreement. If we decide to do so, we can just exblore as much as we can wiz za time za captain has offered and zen abandon za rest. I am open to eizer choice. What do za rest of you want to do?"
"We can recover more from zis tomb/brison if we are all in agreement. If we decide to do so, we can just exblore as much as we can wiz za time za captain has offered and zen abandon za rest. I am open to eizer choice. What do za rest of you want to do?"
"You said my favorite word, 'recover,'" says Half-Tsuurm. "If there is treasure to recover, I'm all for recovering it."
On the night before you're due to arrive at Old Man's Launch, your previous beach landing site on Rivenrake Island, you each wake up in your cabin and see a radiantly beautiful woman standing in the room watching you. Looking around, everyone else appears to be deeply asleep, yet there is no sound except for her voice.
You see the familiar vision of a partially collapsed stone archway carved in the shape of two weeping dragons, their necks raised up so their horned heads lock together. The archway is overgrown with foliage, and a cave entrance is visible within.
You see a vision of a partially collapsed stone archway carved in the shape of two weeping dragons, their necks raised up so their horned heads lock together. The archway is overgrown with foliage, and a cave entrance is visible within. You can feel that this archway exists nearby on the lower slopes of Rivenrake Island.
You see the familiar vision of a partially collapsed stone archway carved in the shape of two weeping dragons, their necks raised up so their horned heads lock together. The archway is overgrown with foliage, and a cave entrance is visible within.
When she is done, you suddenly awake. Runelord Sorshen is gone, if she was ever there. The sound of your fellow party members snoring is loud after the odd silence in your vision. With a start, everyone else awakes as well. Everyone glances at the same empty place you saw Sorshen before you all look at each other. The only thing new is that the abyssal runestone that Frantino had carried is now on the small table in the middle of the room.
The next morning the crew of the Whim rows you ashore. The sound of chickens clucking, clearly heard while you were readying to depart the ship, suddenly ceases as you are halfway to the beach. Only a few feathers can be found as evidence they were ever there.
You are able to easily find the path that you created a few weeks ago and over 30 minutes you follow it to the entrance to the Forlorn Sepulchurs. Once inside, you once again see the blue marble statue of a thin man with a cruel face and long hair fringing a bald pate, his arms outstretched, standing in the middle of the first room. The one-inch-wide gaps that separate the statue into six components—a head, two arms, two legs, and a torso, seem more prominent than before. A plaque at the statue’s base still bears a single word, Thybidos, in Thassilonian. Doc and Half-Tsuurm will have to take everyone else's word that this is what it says.
The pillar of solid granite that once blocked further passage remains lowered into the ground, and the boulder that Ezranadir magically moved to block others from accessing the Sepulchurs remains in place, held there by the thick branches that Frantino used wood shape to mold into the gaps around the boulder. Some small rodents could probably have gotten through the occasional gap, but even they seem to know that the living are not welcome here.