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Zaliex, the semi-liberated Phoenix perches on the bridge across the chasm, the defeated sorceress Geppa dejectedly resting on the floor nearby. "I shall watch over the sorceress while your proceed forward," its voice fills the chamber in a not unpleasant way. "If there is anything I can do to assist, please let me know."
Ahead, a thin, winding passage leads up a steep incline from the massive cavern...
After a hard fought battle, the skeletal form of Asar, undead champion, falls. Reviving first Lilianna, then the woman on the alter. She is alive and unconscious and knows very little about what happened. She is Dimira - sister of the timid Roldare. She will move to reunite with him as soon as she is able. With her helped, you are able to move to light the Everflame, the original reason for the journey. The flame hangs above the open sarcophogus of Kassen. As you light the lamp, a glow comes from the sarcophogus as well and slowly, a ghostly spectre of Kassen awakens. Rising above his resting place, he smiles. "Thank you all, for putting Asar to rest. He always felt cheated out of the treasure that we could have had. It caused his spirit to fester and rot, until he rose in that skeletal form." Kassen seems to be thinking for a few moments before speaking again. "Our amulets were stolen, recently, by bandits. That is what caused Asar to rise again. They were two pieces of three, that when assembled, could lead to a greater vault. An elven sorceress, Iramine, carried that last piece." Kassen shakes his head as he stops talking. "I am sorry friends, but I remember little else. If you seek to reclaim what I have lost, I wish you well in the endeavor. Please... he motions to his sarcophogus. "Take whatever may help you. I will be able to rest easy now and have no need for it." Another pause, before he reaches up and pulls a scale from his armor, setting a glowing scale on the rim of his tomb for each of you. "These will help you carry my boon and will protect you in your time of need. Thank you." With that, he fades away. Inside, with his body, is a Bag of Holding (Type 1), a +1 Bashing Shield, a Water Elemental Gem, and various gold pieces. Further in the tomb is another body - much more fresh. Covered in tattered gray robes and wearing an iron mask, the stench of rot hangs around him. He appears to have been strangled 3 months ago and his mask indicates he is a follower of Razmir - the living god - who has cults all around the Lake Encarthan region. Of note, in his pack, are a Wand of Magic Missiles, CL3 with 22 charges and a spellbook. There is also a tattered letter - it notes the location of this very crypt with a message: The amulets are entombed with Kassen and Asar. Dead Man's Book:
Cause Fear, Enlarge Person, Expeditious Retreat, False Life, Levitate, Mage Armor, Magic Missile, Ray of Enfeeblement The trip back to Kassen does not end in celebration, as intended, but in melancholy. The townsfolk are sorry for what happened and appreciate your reports, as well as your rescue of those that survived. The grand feast is still held, but more in remembrance than celebration.
Hey all, apologies as my work situation has changed from being able to keep up with this game to having extremely limited time - I've been putting off finishing this with the hope that we'd be able to do it properly but it's dragged on too long. I've got all the information you provided before copied out and I'm starting generating the chronicles sheets so we can release your characters back out into the world. I'll put up a narration of the final fight and the adventure resolution tonight or tomorrow. Sorry for my lack of attention again, I know it just added to the (many) other issues this module had. I hope this is a satisfactory resolution for everyone. Keith
Gunari scores a good hit, and Gaunt brings his mace down twice.
The rest of the camp continues to draw closer to the fight, but none seem to have the desire to interrupt. A few even starting trading coins and placing bets. Poking the Lion
Gaunt (-22)
Slade takes one out in a single shot, Anya's magic missile hits with no problem, but Rolandor swings wide, even with the Flank.
Yellow falls over while the larger skeleton takes the healing energy full on. The armored skeleton swings at Lilianna again!
The Final Fight
Lilianna (-23, 6 under, bleeding)
Lilianna's energy causes two skeletons to burst, while the big bad (Blue) seems to shake it off. The unaffected skeletons stumble forward.
The armored skeleton moves up with the grace of a warrior, swinging his large sword in a wide arc toward Lilianna.
The Final Fight
Lilianna (-13)
From the right, a voice booms. "So, Kassen’s heroes have come to fight me again. You will make fine minions in my army of the dead. Come and meet your fate!” With that, a wicked-looking skeleton strides into view wearing polished mail and brandishing a cruel sword in both hands. A cold blue flame burns in its empty eye sockets. As he speaks, skeletons rise from the sarcophogi around the room. GM Stuff:
The Final Fight
Lilianna
The man grips the mace hard as Gunari speaks, a low rumble starting deep in his throat as he continues. As Gunari finishes, the man falls into a combat stance, letting out a roar of anger. GM Stuff:
Gaunt rushes forward on Gunari, swinging his mace low in an attempt to trip the cheery drunk.
The camp falls silent as everyone begins to crowd around and watch. Poking the Lion
Gaunt
Opening the Door
Rolandor [False Flanker]
The wide brass doors swing open on silent hinges to reveal a vast crypt. The only light emanates from a torch mounted above the crypt, flickering with a pale golden fire. Tall pillars march across the chamber, ending at a dais on the far side, on which is set a large stone sarcophagus. A single form rests beside the coffin, that of a comely woman in tattered clothing. She appears to be asleep or unconscious.
The man stops and turns slowly, looking Gunari over, his grip tensing on his mace. "I am Gaunt. What do you want?" he replies. As he does, the camp around you falls silent, the guards near the gate stopping and watching, leaning toward your group to hear the reply. "You have no animals, so I assume you are not looking to enter into my fights, so why are you bothering me?" He nods to Marženek over Gunari's shoulder. "Unless the dour one wants to fight my lion." A dark chuckle resounds in his helm.
BOTH GO UP IN SMOKE!
Returning to the portcullis - it's open! A second catacomb waits beyond the portcullis, along with a lever that raises and lowers the portcullis at will. The party is also able to see the fissures in the walls that likely allowed the bats to enter in the first place. Beyond that, a chamber with a vaulted ceiling showing significant signs of damage waits. Int he center of the room, a 10 foot wide bridge crosses a deep chasm. On the other side, a pair of stone statues watch over the end of the bridge in front of a set of grand brass double doors. The statues depict villagers holding shields and spears. GM Stuff:
Failing to notice the trap as they walk across the bridge, the statues suddenly lunch forward... simply pushing Rolandor and Slade back to the beginning of the bridge. As they sweep their spears, both manage to step away and avoid being tossed into the pit. A few moments later and the pressure plate is identified and disabled by Rolandor . This leaves only one path forward - the large brass doors.
GM Stuff:
Rolandor continues forward and attempts to step next to Slade, but loses his footing.
At the same time, Lilianna pops back to the surface in control of her movement! Slade continues taking the assault. Orange on Slade
Green on Slade
Skeletons - Round 4
Skeletons
The guard accepts the drink (and gold) happily, looking out over the nearby lake. "It's good to warm a man, after the cold rain and fog the last few nights." Sipping at the beer, he nods to the near camp "That near camp's the centaur outriders. Lionbanes they call themselves. I've heard they're lookin' for some artifact to trade to some druids to get their forest back... somethin' like that at least. Respectful, for savages." Another sip, followed by a cold glance at a man who seems to be pacing the path leading to camp C. The man stands tall - six and a half feet - and his black armor is covered in a mix of rust and dried blood. His helm only shows the bottom half of his face - his mouth in a permanant sneer. The guard drops his voice - "Gaunt is a mean mother. He's been buyin' animals to send into a ring with his lion. Once that got borin', he started tryin' to buy people to send into the ring. His crew is out 'huntin' right now for more 'playthings'." The guard shivers and takes a long drink. "Ever since he got in on the 'Early Bird Special' and bought that mace from the oddball jester, he's looked like he's just been waitin' for someone to test it out on." He shakes his head and turns his body further away from where the man paces. "Arnold, by the way. I'm Arnold."
Slade and Rolandor both miss their skeletons. Garth sinks 10 feet and sees that the pit goes on. As Lilianna sinks, in the murky water, she makes out the outline of another skeleton lurking in the depths. Skeletons!
Green on Slade
Orange on Slade
Red on Rolandor
Purple on Lilianna
No hits on 10 attacks! Skeletons - Round 3
Skeletons
As Lilianna moves... ...she steps through the murky water and into a pit. ...and can't keep herself afloat, sinking 10ft. Lilianna:
You can convert your second action to a move to attempt to swim again, if you would like. The skeletons shuffle through the water and attack!
Skeletons - Round 2
Skeletons
The guards will accept and send one of their force down to the ground. "That odd jester's got some things he's selling. Valuable, magical things. Drawn groups from all over the countryside to bid." The guard shakes his head at Marženek. "Nothin' quite that formal. The items will go up tomorrow noon and the bidding starts then." A couple of the other groups seem to be watching and paying attention to your questions. With a quick glance around, your party is able to find a nice ruined building with room enough for a fire and bedrolls.
One of the corpses carries a ring that detects as magical - gold set with aquamarine.
Well, it certainly looks pretty and that Transmutation Aura is probably good. The corpse also holds a belt pouch - 24gp in non-local currency. The door on the far side seems swollen, but after checking, does not seem dangerous to open. A strong push by Slade...
A strange blue fungus covers the walls, ceiling, and pillars of the waterlogged chamber. Its wispy strands stretch out from the wall like roots dangling in the air, twitching and swaying in an unseen breeze. Floating in the water are four decaying corpses - three large rats and one giant front - with strange burn marks all over their bodies.
Rolandor spears one with the help of a sudden feint while Slade goes around and splats the second. The snowball from Anya goes wide and the third takes a missile to the face. Since he can't reach Garth, it settles for Slade.
But fails to make contact.
The bodies of the frogs float in the water, as well as two human bodies floating near what appears to be the frog's nest. Another swollen door waits to the south.
Slade nearly takes out the frog in a single swing, but it still stands.
The frog becomes debilitated by the evil eye and easier to hit just as the water ripples and his brothers join the fray! The two new frogs leap onto the sarcophogi and attempt to latch on to Slade and Rolandor.
But neither can get purchase. Soggy - Round 2
Frog
The terrible music shatters the necklace, sending the pieces into the grass and allowing Gunari to breathe again. Further ahead on the trail... On the muddy shorts of the lake jut parapets of crumbling limestone, their stones missing and walls broken. A massive gateway yawns open, its original doors long since lost to the decay, but its vacant expanse is blocked by an improvised barrier of lashed wooden stakes, ten feet high. Beyond, the ruins of a trade city show signs of use - smoke from campfires, laughing, and singing. Sentries sit on the ruins of the wall and a tower, barely standing. "Ya here for the auction?" one shouts down, barely putting a hand on his bow. "Find a building and get yourselves comfortable then." Looking you up and down, he squints. "And don't cause any trouble."
The party travels north. The path desends further into the water, coming up to around two feet on the parties legs. GM Stuff:
With a quick perception check, the party can hear the croaking of a frog on the other side of the door. GM Stuff:
The door seems swollen and stuck, but with a quick strength check (aided by Guidance) he is able to pull it from its frame. The room is filled with water, probably as deep as the outside corridor. The chamber is in an advanced state of decay, with a gaping hole in the ceiling admitting a constant trickle of water. The three stone sarcophagi in this room are almost completely covered in a thick carpet of moss and fungus. A large frog is perched on one of the sarcophagi, looking at you curiously. GM Stuff:
The frog strikes at Slade with his tongue.
Soggy - Round 1
Frog
Inside the satchel you find a journal - burned on the outside but intact - and an amulet. With Satine handling both, she's able to determine that the book belonged to Lady Ariesin Bourtze and describes experiments she was attempting, including summoning an ancient salamander. The other is a Necklace of Adaptation. Satine also realizes that the smoke is coming from the ruins of a town called Rhoetius - a common gathering area for local bandits to entertain themselves and hold market.
Marženek's terrible lyrics take down Red without another threat from it. A quick search of the area reveals an acid splashed satchel stuck in a bush - its strap wrapped around the melted body of a man who couldn't escape. The trail continues further downstream, where smoke floats up from some settlement in the distance.
The party isn't missing against the large forms of the slugs. If Satine isn't avoiding:
The slug then goes for the Warpriest!
While Red 'charges' forward toward Mor'targh!
Slug Locks - Round 2
Gunari (-43)
The mist hangs low throughout the third day of travel. The jester’s trail winds through a tangled thicket along the marshy banks of a silt-clogged canal. Foul secretions drip from the withered trees, and broad patches of ground lie barren, as if scorched. Almost lost in the thorny tangle, structures crumble beside the abandoned canal. Heaped debris—the remains of the pumps and waterwheels that once powered the canal’s locks—clutters their interior. The battered structures now guard a causeway of broken stone and tangled driftwood, a crude dam allowing foot traffic to avoid the swamps that line the silt-filled canal. Torn body parts lie scattered near the buildings. Bright spatters of blood discolor the bleached stone walls and lie smeared in wide swaths across the ground.
The archers are alive but Wager is not. On his body is a Cure Moderate potion. You reveal the poached treasure chest and are able to wake an archer to ask any questions. On the far side of the ruins, the trail picks up and enters a dried canal, making it easier to follow but picking up speed. There are two days travel before the next landmark appears.
There does not seem to be a trap on the gate, but there is no obvious way to raise it. The bars are close enough together that most of you could not squeeze through. After a moment of investigation, Rolandor catches sight of a lever in the next room. Before he can announce the discovery though, there is a ripple in the water, drawing the eyes of E'li, Rolandor, and Lilianna. As they watch, another ripple changes their reflections to ugly, rotted depictions of themselves. Their eyes locked on the scene, their undead forms draw weapons and lunge at each other. GM Stuff:
With a shout, Rolandor turns and runs back toward the exit. As his voice echoes, the room is suddenly filled with the chitter of hundreds of bats from beyond the gate! GM Stuff:
The bats swarm through the gate into the room! Batty - Round 1
Rolandor [4 rounds of fear, heading for exit]
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