Legacy of Death Part III: Undying Interlude

As before, you have spent weeks at Watercross College. Your base is the old house of both Nar-Heru and Bart, Melkar House. Again, y ou all enjoy time spent not getting stabbed, burned, poisoned, forcefully teleported, or falling, starving, freezing or having your soul sucked out. Or being grabbed by highly dangerous vines and life draining undead. Or smashed by a giant. Long term injuries, pushed over with incredible levels of adrenaline (or “will power”), slowly heal, new power and techniques are researched, practiced, and even advance, and great quantities of ale, wine, rare brandies, and various pipe weeds (depending…) are all consumed.



The gems acquired are sold, and of great value. In what may have some drunken confusion on the part of mostly Forge, they are distributed in a such a way as to allow Nar and Ghen to replenish at least some of their components. Oh, and Lucian, you seemed to somehow have less coin then the others—maybe spread to much around with the gray beards trying to find a path or a mark, but your side activities make up for it.

(OK, write this down!: This replaces whatever coins and gems you have! You each have 100 pp, 1000 gp, 100 sp, 10 100 gp gems (pearls) and 1 1000 gp gem (small emerald). Nar and Ghen you each have 1000 gp in components (arcane for nar, healing/nature/religion for Ghen). Note that you may want Ghen to have more components…)

You still have to collect your reward, though you venture to Northall a few times. Mr. Woolseye, the Halfling that works with Mr. Felix for the Brandt’s, keeps saying things about “due time” and “confirmation”. Large burly types are now stationed in his office. Not that you fear them, but apparently there could be legal ramifications from a mortal brawl.



Buckthorn: Looks like you will have time to return to your home village. Also, there is this hide armor from the firbolg. Now that the wizard has magically cleaned it off, it has lovely embroidery in a beguiling pattern…but of course, if the healer needs it.

Forge: You manage to correspond with the ol’ clan, letting them know of your mighty deeds! And receive a somewhat surprising response.

Ghen: Of everyone, you, and they actually, may most appreciate the boost from the Faery Dust to your healers brooch. There is also this hide armor from the firbolg. Now that the wizard has magically cleaned it off, it has lovely embroidery in a beguiling pattern… of course, buckthorn could use it... You confirm that you can get potions in Watercross or Northall (but will you actually have the will to do so) and look for a rare herbal reagent in both. Also, there is issue of rituals, and the lack of a certain scroll…

Lucian: You do well enough from backroom cards with the student crowd, at least enough to catch up with the dwarf in terms of money (where did he get all that?) and subtly pursue your interests (not just buy drinks for Nar, though he does have expensive tastes). And there is plenty of strange kit floating about, but that tends be big jinx type stuff, though as you think about it, you have a few big jinx items of your own, now.

On that other item: (The book taken by Bart from where Orcus Scion Kalarel was using it to rip open a shadow rift with dire consequences…earlier owned by someone named Simon Amber…and a source of some of Nars more distinct powers and rituals) You also chat a bit with Douvan and others and well, you know that Nar has learned some things, and you also know you can or already do know them (right behind that spoiler button…)

Nar: you are pulled back into the tome and the lore that it seems to feed to you. When you step back you are not really sure what it adds up to. If you wrote down musings gleaned from the book, including odd notes from Simon Amber but also the dark teachings of the tome itself, and other notes that you may guess the origin of, and you pull together…(you absolutely do not notice Lucian’s interest or even telling him these things, though his friendship is always welcome, of course).

[sblock=stuff of book]1. In Old Deamorria none paralleled the city Moil for the erudition of its scholars or its wealth of lore. Then it fell under the sway of necromancers and the shadow Aether swallowed the city, forever cursed.

2. Most modrons will not accept a bribe.

3. The firmament that separates the mortal worlds from the immortal ones is not a wall or sphere, but a lattice with many strange twists and distortions.

4. From deep in the Cosmos a great source of darkness and necrotic power has emerged, touching many worlds. In coming years, no land will be immune.

5. Some mortal worlds are more isolated by the firmament then others.

6. With the breath of the dread god Zorrath did He imbue Orcus and Vecna with immortality and the incarnates of undeath and dark lore did they become.

7. Vecna once walked Thraeya, to the great cities of Karnakos , strange temples of and tombs of Khembia, dark holds of Kazduaen, of course, ruins of once great Deamorria.

8. Vecna is said to disguise himself as a beggar to walk among others both amassing and dispensing dark lore.

9. These followers of Orcus and Vecna, those that dare whisper the name of Zorrath, how many such death cultist may there be?

10. In Moil they were said to summon forth the great Codex, that which could only be born on the back of mighty beasts and none could read and maintain a grasp of their immediate reality; and from this Codex did they take much dark lore before others took the Codex in turn.

11. In Moil they were said to travel to a throne carved for the gods. They held dark rites there.

12. Ours may not be the only mortal world. This is practically a fact among the learned. Ours may not be the only Cosmos. This is heresy.

13. The power of a god must both be given and taken.

14. The thesis there are angels, not fallen angels that are devils, but just angels, that are evil, is untrue, or at least exaggerated.

15. Where the darkest remnants of Kron and the Beast arose the Abyss, from the nether regions of Chaos. But is this the true realm of slaads?

16. A mortal world barely connected to and unknown to ours saw great and horrible death that still reverberates.

17. The diseases of ghouls, vampires, and mummies are “natural” manifestations of their nature, a bit of the shadow Aether brought into the living.

18. The first demons were said to come from the dead body of Kron like maggots from rotting meat. But what of what was spawned from the offal of the Beast slain by Kron and Yavara?

19. Negotiations with a Slaad are unlikely to be fruitful.

20. Height, length, width, even time may not be limit of dimensionality. Strange tales tale of the tesseract, a “cube” that extends into one of these other dimensions.

21. Nothing would be better then delivering the Hive directly into Lolths lair.

22. …and this creature became the lich Acererak. Over the scores of years which followed, the lich dwelled with hordes of ghastly servants in the gloomy stone halls of the very hill where the Tomb is. Eventually even the undead life force of Acererak began to wane, so for the next 8 decades, the lich’s servants labored to create the Tomb of Horrors. Then Acererak destroyed all of his slaves and servitors, magically hid the entrance to his halls, and went to his final haunt…

23. Whence this so called Sigil? The deep lore makes no mention of it. It is not the making of Ordos, or Chaos, or angel or fiend. Yet they say it is there. Even if it always was not.

24. Tiefling racial appearance may be much wider ranging then most Thraeyans imagine.

25. The Aether, strange and fragmented as any part of the Cosmos, courses with eldritch energies. The elements called on by arcane formula, the dark shadows that lead souls ever deeper to the beyond and the warping touch of true gods and risen incarnates.

26. The Aether, its domains of dread and feywilds entice, its mists dazzle and daze. It leads to all lands, but its paths may never end. The depths that can be plunged, greater than anything under Kazduaen.

27. No avatar of good could bring back the mercy chalice. It took a Queen of Thieves.

28. Mortal worlds may range as widely as any distant Astral realm.

29. The dark Aether may bring one to the level of the Styx, and the layer of Pluton. This is obvious.

30. To satisfy the dread god, is it merely a question of spreading the shadow and its influence?

31. It is well known that Gith made dark bargains to free her people from the Illithid and lead them to Astral Realms. As it is well known that these races battle still.

32. The mistress of the Githyanki, greater then Vecna?

33. The Cant is an atrocity. As to be expected.

34. The need for the sacrifice of sentient humanoids is undisputed. But one should not underestimate the appeal of eating them, especially for greater hags and slaads.

35. This book seems to want things.

36. Cosmic rifts, also heresy?

37. Some dwarves are said to make smoke powder, and alchemist other things, but the idea that great weapons as powerful as any magic seems both ludicrous and compelling.

38. The Amber family is largely deranged.

39. The portals between planes may be slowly vanishing. Or at least faster than they can be made.

40. No on associated with Melkar house can be trusted.

41. Some ancient liches maintain their form, others seem to revert to pure dust. The demi-lich is a deadly hybrid, a minimal physical presence while its soul roamed strange planes and worlds unknown to even the wisest of sages.

42. If one could map the dark places of the Aether…a tracing from which undying power would be unlimited. But to create a rift. That would also be interesting. [/sblock]

"I also have an Amulet of Protection which I no longer have use for. Would anyone benefit from this?"

Buckthorn spends some quality time with his halfling kin, Noldo and the rest, in Splintertoe Hollow and regales the village with his latest tales of adventures in the strange haunted fey woods.

During one of the trips to Northall, Buckthorn will look for a fletcher in Northall (he had found one before where he bought the fire arrows). He would be looking for a particular kind of arrow - one that would only do minimal damage (a point or two)... this was a special request from Lucian. Buckthorn does not quite understand it... but he is a Tiefling... and a friend so he will do what the eccentric thief has asked for.

Also, he will give the healer one last chance to claim the intriguing hide armor. He will give Ghen the right of first refusal, but should the healer not take it...

(magic items are a good source of components...I would probably allow 50% price with disenchant)




Nar, as you go about your business, ie take short breaks away from obsessing over the book, one day on return to your chambers with Lucian in tow, scrawled on the wall just across from their portal, you both have a hard time not noticing:

KALAREL UNDYING​

Despair and Zombies

Undying Power: The “motto” of the alleged Church of Evil and reference to the trapped god Zorrath, his ability to exert influence while locked in the realm of the dead; his “anti-saints” (incarnates) associated with undead including Vecna and Orcus; undeath more generally. Melkar’s Lexicon (incomplete, attribution contested).

Lucian and Nar immediately found the others and looked for Douvan, who happened to be sitting next to the fire (an unusually chilly night) drinking fine elvish brandy. He was mostly coherent.

Kalarel brought back memories of Bart and his companions, who helped rescue Douvan from Orcus cultists by Winterhaven. Winterhaven, in turn, is next to a old abandoned keep built centuries ago by then Illumarians, and then restored by the High King, to secure a shadowrift. It last guardian, Sir Keegan, was driven mad by the shadow and killed most of inhabitants of the keep. This he explained, as a ghost, to Bart and his companions while they explored the ruined keep.

Kalarel was of course a former Watercross, and Melkar House, professor that somehow got a copy of the Book and was using it to open the rift. He was killed, and in fact killed almost exactly a year before (though this detail is not focused on) and sucked back into the rift. This led to the question of how he got the book? Did he have associates still lurking about Watercross? Did they write the mordant two words outside the elf wizard’s chambers?

And who killed Bart? Those rapid, gaunt, alien beings who cleanly removed his head? Douvan has some newish thoughts, but he did not quite share all of them (or did he?). And what of this Simon Amber? Had Nar-Heru or anyone taken the slightest effort to learn more of him (Absolutely. Positively. Not.)? Amber’s private papers, moved to the central—restricted—stacks after one of the periodic inquisitions of Melkar house, were news to the elf.

As the questions on all this were coming, Douvan acted odder than usual. He seemed to briefly talk to himself. Mentioning “Valthrun”….but then seemed to let it go. Only with some pressing did he note that Valthrun the Prescient, who lived in Winterhaven had contacted hoping for some help from Bart or Samm, another companion not seen for many months.

It is decided to magically travel to Northall, both heading in the general direction of Winterhaven and providing an opportunity to again meet back with Mr. Woolseye. The Halfling mutters about trade routes and confirmation. Nar calls forth his magic and summons a daunting presence with fiery eyes. This moved Mr. Woolseye, but not enough. Forge (played by a surprisingly in character Randy) reminds him of everything that they went through to get the reward, and that he best hand it over. Ghen, the good cleric, finally brandishes his sword menacingly. Mr. Woolseye pays up, even as he mutters about gambling debts (“why do you think I have these guards?”). The 350 they each receive is just enough to cover living expenses over the last few months.

Ghen somehow overcomes his hatred of potion-pushers, and then they take their leave next to Thunderspire. A masked Mage of Sauron gives them a wave as they head one way, but then Forge heads the other! After months of little contact, he had resumed correspondence with his family. And what he reads disturbs him. He thanks the mage for bringing close to home, then disappears in a tunnel heading for it.

The others take phantom steeds to Winterhaven, moving over double elf speed, and ridding over water. They reach the gate, and are not let in. A burly grim man finally comes to the parapet. He and Lucian recognize each other, but this brings out less friendliness then the fiendish charmer might expect. Samm, warrior cleric of chaos goddess Katera (Queen of Thieves, The Chalice Thief, Luck’s Lefthand, etc) is suspicious at first, but hearing of Bart and the sending to Douvan finally gets him to open the gate. (The otherwise absolutely dire situation he faced probably should have also factored in, but he’s Randy’s character).

It is confirmed that evil has returned. Villagers have disappeared. Enemy spies are suspected, one of which sounds suspiciously blood sucking. Dark clouds are literally nearby, right on the ground, covering the graveyard and the old keep. A situation so urgent that it dictates…a nice sleep at the inn…Then the five manage to get themselves over to strange dark ground clouds.

It is realized that this is a manifestation of the dark Aether—a so called shadowfell—in the mortal world. And a growing one, possibly on its way to becoming a full scale domain of dread or a more outrageous planar rift (the characters don’t say this last bit, but surely one of them thinks it).

A shadowcrossing scroll is used to pass into the clouds. They are in the graveyard, just as in the mortal world. But now locked in a permanent twilight. With far more zombies, powerful rune covered zombies. And the vampire night witch and some villagers that are now her spawn.

The dark place is not only infested, it brings despair. Hopelessness, lethargy, apathy, fatalism, even drowsiness, hinder the party. Only Nar greets the shadow with an indomitable spirit. Perhaps a testament to his recent studies.

Even with the despair, the horde of undead is a dream opportunity for the shifter cleric (and hopefully some compensation for being called a werewolf multiple times and being petted by Valthrun). Radiant energy travels in great waves across the graves, displaying his might and that of the Varun, the Protector.

Unfortunately there are a LOT of zombies, and the vampires are slightly more resilient. A glowing arcane circle, all too similar to the one last time Samm was here, implies a dark ritual fueling the shadow and calling forth more zombies every few seconds. Lucian and Buckthorn pick off the undead the best they can. Nar tries to get over to the circle, but all the pesky undead block his way. Samm charges but at first has little luck other then drawing attacks. It is realized that when killed, the zombies make a final lurch and can become a true deadweight, especially for Nar.

Eventually the tide turns. Samm gets himself surrounded, and unleashes his own devastating turning. (And when he drops, Ghen brings him right back). The vampire night witch vanishes and flees. The vampire spawn hold on for a while, but after the power of the ritual is finally stopped and the zombies stop coming (about 40 total), they are defeated in turn.

They head to the keep and enter the dungeon underneath. What could be an extended search for the strange under-temple of the Rift is made much easier by the maps that Samm made 1 year ago and still has. It takes Ghen and Nar to actually navigate with the maps….but they make good progress. When menacing runes are found on the floor, Lucian is able to disable their necrotic magic (and in the place where Thaedrius the Warlock went mad and was killed by undead, converting his armor to the deathcut armor still worn by the rogue).

Stairs take them to a great hall. Lucian carefully advances through a side chamber to get a view:

Crimson streams trail across the floor and terminate at a grate surrounding a hole in the floor of this shadowy cathedral. Bluegreen light emanates from crystal columns. A dais along the eastern wall appears to supply the blood. A human in dark robes stands there, skull mace raised high, singing the praises of the demon lord Orcus! A tattoo of a ram’s skull covers the man’s face.

Click to expand...

Some letters changed, some didn’t

He also sees more of the villagers—aka vampire spawn—flanking the great room. The blood drains into a pit in the center.

Ghen also approaches, but is not quite as unnoticed. “Intruders!”

It turns out there are 10 of the spawn, and the regenerated vampire night witch, and the Type I Demon: Vrock. Together with the Orcus Priest.

And, in contrast to the last fight, it is spawn that bring the party to the brink. Fighting at close quarters, they can steal life from another just as their own unlife seems to be ending, and they do so over and over again. Samm’s turning is far less effective, and Ghen’s is not enough. The luring power of the witch, the claws of the Vrock, and the dark rays of mortality released by the priest don’t help either. Samm and Buckthorn each have terrible luck (Lucian is almost shot). Then both Ghen and Buckthorn find themselves dying and for Ghen, the fatalism bestowed by this place brings death close indeed.

But Samm restores him, and Ghen in turn finally realeses his astral wave to devastating effect. Meanwhile Lucian manages teleports over to the priest and night witch, blinds them and the demon, and actually does some backstabbing. The Vrock is destroyed, as are the last spawn. A magna beast summoned by the wizard slays the priest, hurling him down the pit in the process. The witch shortly follows.

At the limit or their own resources, they retreat to a defensible corner of the keep and cast an entirely ineffective magic circle. Fortunately, the mayhem they spread on the day seems to be enough, and they survive the night.

They do not awake unscathed. Some have turned their previous curse into a boon, but more apathy and, now, madness spreads through their minds.

The pit awaits.

Before you reached winterhaven and the Keep...

Forge,

[sblock=Forge stuff]You exchange correspondence with your clan, and our disturbed by the reply. (Which is, presumably, no small feat). It is in response to this that you hitch a ride with the others to Thunderspire, and then leave them as they head off to deal with some shadow rift, or something.

Your clan has been subject to attacks by the twisted corpse and spirits of its own dead, and undead of unknown origin. Ancient rites and wardings, which has survived for decades, even centuries, have been undone. Dwarves of marginal (and lets be honest “good”) character and standing have turned to ill-advised activities. Apparently, these also aren’t isolated instances. Dwarves trade with dwarves and others, and hence keep in touch with them (and of course out of good feelings, etc) and similar incidents have been reported from a number of holds and settlements. Mostly on the west of the rift (you known, in the less civilized part of the world where you are now), but rumors start to come from holds on the other side.

The clan elders think that this is part of something bigger. Some increase in “necrotic” energy seeping into the world. Some even state that your own adventures are somehow linked (and of course you have told everyone about your adventures). On the other hand, nothing they report is as freaky as the Garden of Graves (and it’s a good thing to…). Links or no links, it seems like some bigger threat to the clan.

Your brother on the other hand is as condescending as ever. He is “sure” of your great accomplishments, but doubts that anything you would do would be useful to the clan. They can take care of it. And right now it seems like they can. But there are a lot dead ancestors…And you know just how bad these things can get.

Speaking of which…shadow rift, a necromancer priest of Orcus…maybe this isn’t totally a coincidence. You aren’t all learned, but you instincts are pretty good…(there at a town called Winterhaven…supposedly not too far away). [/sblock]

Lucian,

In the meeting by the fire with Douvan, he wanted to tell you…something…but seemed rather distracted by all the talk of Kalarel, Winterhaven, Bart…later he remembers, and, as he runs into you just before you leave, shows you an illustration. ( to be sent by email).

The dead and dying

They carefully approach the pit, and through no little effort, manage to scale its blood soaked chains largely unnoticed.

Back through the pit said:

You descend into a nightmare. Crimson streams spill from above and form a pool of blood in the center of the chamber.

A yawning, strange portal dominates the northern wall of the chamber.
As if looking into a tarnished mirror or through some hitherto unknown type of stained glass, beyond you see a great and horrid building, in which stands a truly massive and grotesque statue of Orcus surrounded by horrid demons worshiping him. Along with the stone demons are what may be many real demons, spirits, and undead, all seemingly massing on this dark temple.

Beyond the temple, knowing that is far away yet clearly visible to you, is a great dark river, and beyond a dreadful starless land.

Opposite the portal, a great statue of Orcus stands. It points toward the darkness with a skull-capped wand. To the east, a series of steps leads to a platform where a small pit is flanked by two smaller statues of Orcus.

To the west another set of steps ascends to an altar of bone flanked by wide pillars. A human clad in heavy armor and carrying a skull-capped rod stands behind the altar. His eyes are closed, he chants a low, droning prayer.

Click to expand...

As when Lucian and Samm arrived here 1 year before. With the huge exception of the now somewhat transparent rift, with its view of a great and horrible beyond. That, and the multi-armed she demon.


The set up was slightly different this time

Together with Kalarel, there is the Type V demon, and fluttering about the room, tormented souls from the Abyss. They all turn out to be quite dangerous.

As the party comes down the chains…they go different directions. Most head for Kalarel, but Ghen heads for the Marilith, with the hopes of sending her into a pocket dimension for an extended period of time. They strike with surprise…but things don’t go exactly according to plan.

They rip into Kalarel, who rips back. The souls on the other hand they have less luck with. Most attacks seem to pass through them much of the time, and those that do hit and destroy the soul lead to burst of deadly necrotic energy.



And then there is the Marilith. Ghen sends it away. And in mere seconds it returns, and proceeds to shred the shifter. Between the demon, the souls—who continue to arrive through the rift, a still undying Kalarel, and the parties’ healer dying, things looked grim.

Earlier, Forge had a full breakfast with a few litters of ale. He got in a long argument with his brother. Had his weapons sharpened and armor patched up. (Well, he may have done those things). But then he thought he should get on top of this whole spreading of necrotic evil thing (see below), and headed to Winterhaven. Fortunately, the party had disrupted the ritual at the graveyard, so all he had to do was walk through a field of dismembered corpses, then find his way to the old keep. There, he had little trouble tracking his fellow adventurers.

He arrived just in the nick of time. The demon is held at bay, Kalarel is driving to the edge—though he does use a Word of Orcus to revive those few souls destroyed by the party and rambles on about visions or something—and Ghen returns to consciousness. Forge also takes huge damage from the creatures six arms.

The fighter charges Kalarel. And finishes him! Returning the priest from undeath to just death. The demon chases the dwarf, and in a brutal strike, finishes him. Forge is dead. Again.



Meanwhile, Lucian is struggling to keep Nar alive, and at some point only Buckthorn seems to be able to attack anything. By the time Ghen arrives with his radiant power, healing the others and striking the souls, its seems too late. Samm is down. Lucian is killed, joining Forge by the river seen through the rift. The ritual is finally disrupted by Nar and the souls stop coming, but the demon is still there.

Samm’s soul arises from his now dead body, and in last act, pushes the battered demon through the rift, which closes behind them. The battle is over, and the shadow that had spread through the land is gone. At least this shadow is.

With Lucian and Samm dead, all those that ventured here that year ago—Lucian, Thaedrus, Samm, Donne, Bart, Rafa—were dead. (There was also a goliath that briefly joined them. It was a horrible accident. As for the mysterious Dog, it remained unseen).

Lucian would have a second chance, along with Forge, who would get his third. Between Kalarel’s skull wand and the ritual’s components, both were able to be raised, truly turning evil intent to….well, something not that evil.

They also found a semi-circle inscribed with runes that seemed vaguely familiar to the wizard. He and the others puzzled over it, Kalarels final ramblings, and the eldritch lore that Nar had been gleaning from the Book.
Speculation led them to a remarkable possibility: that this could be a partial illustration of a portal. A portal to the infamous lost city of Moil, an ancient Demorian center of dark learning that had been lost in the Blight when the increasingly depraved first empire was final finished by divine retribution.

In Winterhaven, they buried Samm next to his brother, and after being thanked by the local lord, now living Lucian left with the rest, returning to Thunderspire. Forge then led them deeper into the earth, to his hold, were it turns out he is some sort of notable, the son of the hold’s ruler.

There they meet with the elders of the hold’s clans. The hold has been subject to attacks by the twisted corpse and spirits of its own dead, and undead of unknown origin. Ancient rites and wardings, which had survived for decades, even centuries, have been undone. Some dwarves have turned to ill-advised activities. Apparently, these also aren’t isolated instances. Similar incidents have been reported from a number of holds and settlements.

The elders agree that these events and the parties own experiences are probably not coincidental, and encourage them to learn and do more to try to bring them to an end. Also, Forge’s brother is obnoxious, but is quickly intimidated into being less so.

The other interested parties

They return to Watercross. Douvan quickly introduces them to three of Kalarel’s old associates: a human named Reginald, a half elf named Elvid, and a halfling named Ariwyn. Reginald does the most talking, Ariwyn the least, and Elvid may be the most knowledgeable. But in any case, there are few notable revelations that come from the discussion, other than Kalarel’s real name: Smedley Tallhat.

Lucian and Forge take the investigation to a local tavern. The Pot o' Gold, perhaps the most dubious pub in Watercross. Which is saying something. Bantering about with the bartender, (were banter means give gold to) Lucian learns that someone else, an attractive female someone else, has also been asking about Reginald. They do the ol charismatic tiefling fends off drunken dwarf to win Ari’s trust, and seem to succeed, as she confides in Lucian about her lost brother, and her fear that he got caught in some trouble also involving Melkar House and Reginald more specifically.

Ghen again seeks out Jameson Walkright. The chaplain has to drag the truth out of the cleric, but once he learns of Ghen’s recent heroism, Walkright agrees to a ritual to transform the already unusual greatsword of disruption into a giant bane weapon as well, and gets the local church to help cover some of the cost.



The next day, looking to find the lost papers of Simon Amber, Nar and Buckthorn head to the Restricted Stacks of the Central Library. There they meet Dhor-Hhock, the savage blooded librarian brute...who really wants to help them, but just can’t, as he really just can’t let them into the stacks. Sorry. Nar is able to learn one key thing: Reginald was able to get the papers out of the library, and has not returned them.

They run into Douvan, who is frantic. Someone tried to kill him. An unseen assailant. He is lucky to be alive.

The hunt for Reginald is on. They find his room in Melkar house. There is a discussion…and finally the door is opened, and his corpse is found. Nar uses an eldritch ritual to see what Reginald saw in his last moments. Nar sees himself, killing Reginald. There is a discussion. And concern about how this happened, and if someone else does the same ritual. Eventually Nar uses another ritual to shrink the body, so that it can be both carried and hidden conveniently.

With Douvan in tow, they confront the quite Halfling. Ariwyn at first holds back. The others begin to believe that she was not directly involved in the attack on Douvan or other shenanigans, but she isn’t totally forthright. At some point or another…and it takes a while….it come out that the killer disguised itself as Nar…something that Ariwyn apparently use to do at parties. Appear as other people that is, not specifically as Nar and not to kill someone. It turns out Elvid, who before didn’t have a talent for such things, has recently developed powerful abilities with illusions.

They set off for his house. But as they cross a main square to get there. They run into Ari. Earlier in the day, someone bumped into Nar. They didn’t take anything, but they left something on him. Even earlier, days before, Douvan had guessed that the humanoid beings that Lucian witnessed after Bart’s decapitation may be githyanki. Alien, capable of rapid movement through mind powers, wielders of deadly silver swords with which to cleanly cut off a head. And, and he thought this was key, servants of a Lich-Queen. It just seemed to fit. Douvan even had an illustration (attached).

At first Ari fails to trigger "it". Lucians tries to figure out what is going on. Then Ari triggers the ritual, and they are all sucked to a cottage outside of town.


Nar later finds he is carrying this coin

In her true githyanki form, with other githyanki waiting, the attack is on. With their first blow, Forge’s head is nearly removed. Only quick action by Ghen saves him. The six Githyanki however face a formidable challenge in the party, as Buckthorn sprays arrows, Lucian blinds and bats aside, Forge stays alive, as does Nar, inspite of receiving extra attention from the Astral natives.

Perhaps most vexing for the adventurers is the locals watching the fight. An older man seems reluctant to get the guard, but does point out the wizard watching. That watcher, Balthazar, has quite a bit to say about the situation, but is not particularly helpful, as he does not really believe much of what Buckthorn tries to tell him. A situation Buckthorn is not all used to.



Eventually the city watch arrives, Balthazar throws a spell at the Githyanki, and its clear that they will not get the tome from Nar, or at least add his head to the collection. They trigger their last surprise of the day, a planar portal behind the cottage is opened and they cross through. As Lucian arrives, he can only see briefly the uncanny curtains of light in the otherwise deep black of the Sea Beyond the Stars before the portal closes and he stays on the other side.

The captain of the watch has one last word for the party.

NO. MORE. TROUBLE.

We seem to be in pretty good shape, once I'm healed (Ghen - I'm at 26/63hp), I think we should head straight to "Elvid's" (if that's his real name) house.

Agreed. Do we take the illustrious academics with us?