Shilsen's Eberron SH (Finished - The Last Word : 9/20/15)

[shilsen]

Er yeah. They were taking 25+ points of damage a piece, the ones with the big glass shards were dealing out 20-30 pts of damage a shot and there was a dozen+ of the SOBs. Not too tough, right. Sure. Pushovers.

Au contraire, mon alienist! The warlocks only had 14 hp and the barbarians 26 hp. The former were doing 1d6+1 damage and the latter 1d12+11 (effectively full PA with a greataxe). There were 12 of them (six each).

Come on, give a poor old DM credit for making what should have been a boring, pushover combat interesting

 

[shilsen]

The next day, Gareth, Korm and Luna arrive at Trillia's in the morning to meet Nameless and Six. With them they bring a copy of the Korranberg Chronicle, checking which has become a group ritual for the Angels.

This edition reports that the problem of the aberrations in the Mror Holds is diminishing, with the dwarven clans having wiped out the majority, albeit with substantial loss of lives and property. There is a story about an explosion in Regalport and an undead attack, probably connected to the necromancer who won the spell battle reported a couple days ago. Silver Flame investigators checking on horrid lycanthropes in western Aundair say that they may be entering from Droaam, rather than the Eldeen Reaches, as originally suspected. Some alarmists say that this may lead to another crusade against lycanthropes, but most agree that it is highly unlikely, partly because there are not enough lycanthropes in existence and partly because the Church's connection with Thrane makes such an act in the wake of the Last War a hugely political event. More news from Droaam says that giant cockatrices have appeared in the mountains and have been attacking travelers, resulting in Houses Orien and Lyrandar announcing high fees for adventurers willing to guard their caravans and airships. Closer to home, the Ir'Tains of Sharn are supposedly planning to commission a huge elemental galleon from House Lyrandar. Across the border in Zilargo, the bard Brodden Dendle has put on a very successful 1-man show called "The Truth about Merrix" in Trolanport.

While reading and discussing the paper, the Angels receive another message from Captain Talleon. It says that on the 19th, Ras will be visiting the Lava Pit, a restaurant in the Cogs below Tavick's Landing, and then entering Khyber's Gate to visit one of the Shadow Markets there. The Angels are to reach the Lava Pit just before 7 pm, stay for dinner, leave when Ras does, follow him to Khyber's Gate and throughout his time there, and then guard him back up to the surface, where they will leave him. The customary secret portion of the message says that the one additional aspect of the job is to tail Ras back to the Citadel. It also mentions that Talleon will stop by Carosten Park in the evening to meet the group.

Having digested that information, the group heads to the Cathedral, making a stop at the Augury first. There, they find Kestia expecting them. She checks if their search for the lost items was successful and then proceeds to tell them what she has discovered.

"I began with an augury, as I normally do," she says, "Asking about using a divination to find Arrok's killer. The response was 'weal and woe', which doesn't say much, but it's both better than simply 'woe' and indicative that there might be some use in a divination. Which I then proceeded to do, to no avail. It was as if something was blocking my magic."

"So it just didn't work?" asks Nameless.

"At that point. But I've experience with such things and protective magic before. They are rarely usable beyond a certain period of time and can also be worked around. So I tried divinations at various points in the day, varying the time and question. Eventually, on my fourth try, I got an answer. The question I asked was 'How do we find Arrok's murderer?' The response was 'Dust stirs in Tyrial Dashar's lair, where the circle was broken and may be again'. Does that mean anything to any of you?"

Luna looks around at the others and says, "Wasn't there something about dust in Flamewind's prophecy?"

"Yes," says Nameless. "I wonder if it has anything to do with the Lords of Dust that Trillia mentioned."

Kestia says, "I see you are well informed about these matters. I did wonder about that too. As for Tyrial Dashar, that is a more local reference, which you may not know. He was reputed to be a powerful conjuror, who disappeared nearly four hundred years ago. It was shortly before the Esoteric Order and the Guild of Starlight and Shadows destroyed the Closed Circle (which he belonged to). Whether his disappearance had anything to do with that event is unknown. He was reputed to have had a secret lair somewhere in the city, I would presume in UnderSharn, but that's just a supposition."

"Well," she says, "That is what I have found. Obviously, no more divinations on the subject will help. The next option with be a contact other plane, but as we've discussed, that is better used when you have more information."

Nameless thanks Kestia and asks if any further payment is required. The magewright says it isn't necessary, asking only that the Angels keep her informed of what they find, since this case has piqued her curiosity. Nameless says he will do so and the Angels leave.

***
An hour later, all of them are sitting in a comfortable meeting room facing Ythana Morr. After she greets them and asks what it is that they wished to speak to her about, Gareth embarks on an explanation that whatever they tell her cannot be shared with anyone else, including anyone in the Church hierarchy, clearly implying (without actually saying so) that he would appreciate a promise of such from her.

Ythana looks at him for a long moment and then asks, "Does this involve something that would be a danger to the Church? Or the common people of Sharn?"

"Actually," puts in Nameless, "It's something that's a danger to anything and everything."

"And you wish me to keep something like that secret? Why?"

"Because revealing it may actually increase the danger. Substantially."

Ythana considers for a moment and says, "What if it seems to me that in order to aid you in dealing with this matter I need to inform people I trust?"

"No!" says Gareth, a little more abruptly than he'd intended, drawing a very cool look from her. He quickly adds, "Though I trust you completely, Archierophant, we cannot be sure of others whom we don't know."

Ythana's gaze doesn't shift for a while and then she says dryly, "And I make allowances for you because I trust you, as a worshipper of the Flame and a paladin." A faint flicker of humor crosses her face. "Even if you are a paladin who thinks he might be a fiend."

This comment leads to a minor digression, with Gareth and Nameless talking about the encounter with the daelkyr. When Nameless says, "Maybe the daelkyr was talking about your sword rather than you," Ythana looks slightly more amused. Her tone, however, is as dry as ever. "So now your sword is a fiend."

Before Gareth can reply, she lifts a hand and says, "Let us return to our primary subject." Instead of looking at Gareth, she looks around the table at the others and says, "Can I assume that Gareth's lack of trust for anyone I speak to is shared by ... or perhaps based on ... the rest of you?"

Nameless replies, "Yes. I do not trust you."

This time, the Archierophant's tone is glacial. "You do not trust me?" Her gaze is at least as cold.

Nameless holds her gaze for a moment and then clarifies, "Rather, I don't trust the Church. With your track record, I'm sure you can understand why."

Gareth quickly adds, "Nameless has certain prejudices about the Church and..."

"Yes," says Ythana Morr calmly, very mild disappointment in her tone. "Many people do, judging the whole due to the failings of a small part. But that is not my problem." She lowers her head and there is a long pause before she looks up and says, "Very well. Tell me what you have to. I will not share the information."

Gareth then proceeds to explain the details about and situation of the Key, with Nameless adding in as needed. Ythana asks a question or two to clarify matters but mostly just listens.

Finally, she asks, "And you believe that this Key is capable of that kind of destruction?"

Gareth and Nameless for once agree that they aren't sure whether the Key itself can cause such destruction or whether it was a product (or perhaps by-product, partly caused by the nature of the island) of the Key's interaction with the dimensional seal.

Ythana listens and then says, "So how do you wish me to help you?"

"I don't think the Key is safe with us, so I'd feel better if it was somewhere with greater security, like this Cathedral. The only problem is that you couldn't let them know what they are guarding. Or actually even that they are guarding something, since that would attract attention."

Luna, who's been quite obviously fidgeting through the discussion, snorts and says, "Yeah, right! Like that would make the thing any more secure than with us!"

Ythana says, "I see your companion doesn't think much of your plan, Gareth."

"Neither do I," says Nameless. "I'm only here because Gareth insisted. As I've said, I don't think your Church can help us. And there's too much corruption there for me to trust them."

Ythana's tone goes colder again. "I think you will find corruption in every organization. And if you mistrust an entire group because of a few who are unworthy, where will you go for aid?"

"To the Gatekeepers." As Nameless says this, Korm leans forward on the table and nods, but doesn't say anything.

"The Gatekeepers? I am not an expert, but I believe their resources are seriously limited."

"Perhaps," says Nameless, "But this is an area of expertise for them. They're more focused on fighting such dangers than anyone else."

The expression on the Archierophant's face indicates that, if it weren't clearly inconceivable that she should do snort like Luna, she would do so. "The Church of the Silver Flame has been fighting supernatural evil from its inception. Every day, we stand between the common people of Khorvaire and dangers that even you, with your knowledge, have no conception of."

You'd be surprised! thinks Nameless, but doesn't say it aloud. All he says is, "Anyway, I am not handing the Key over to the Church."

This comment promptly starts a yelling match between Gareth and Nameless. After watching silently for a minute or two, Ythana Morr raises her voice slightly and cuts across them. "This argument is pointless. The choice is yours, whether to bestow the item with the Cathedral or not. I will, as I have before," she adds pointedly, "Aid you however I can."

"Think you could help get these damn tattoos off us?" asks Luna.

"From what you have described, it might be a geas or quest enchantment. It is a form of curse and I can attempt to remove it, if you wish."

"Curse is right! And I wish, all right."

"Very well." Ythana casts a detect magic, which she uses to scan the group (and then the Key, which Nameless lets her handle at her request). She then touches Luna's tattoo and performs a remove curse, to no avail.

"Great!" says Luna, clearly disappointed. "Thanks anyway."

After a little more discussion, the Archierophant ends the meeting. "Remember," she says as they go, "I am willing to aid you as I can." With a look at Nameless, she says, "But that aid is limited by the amount of your trust." Nameless doesn't respond.

Once they leave, Gareth and Nameless begin their usual arguments, with Gareth arguing that it isn't Nameless' decision what to do with the Key but something that is up to a group decision, while Nameless is adamant that he's not giving the Key to the Church of the Silver Flame. With nothing resolved, they eventually end the argument when it's clear that none of the others are waiting around to hear them fight.

***
A few hours later, Talleon (in his halfling guise) stops by Carosten Park. He checks about exactly what happened with the mugging and comments that it wasn't a good idea to have Korm going to the Citadel, since that might make Ras suspicious about their interaction with him.

Nameless points out, "Since the muggers left a note referring to our guarding Tars, it makes sense for us to have contacted you."

Talleon says, "Yes, that makes it a lot more plausible, which is why I'm not canceling the job, which I'd considered. Do you think that Ras knows that you have been spying on him?"

The Angels look at each other and shrug, and Nameless says, "It's likely. The blue-eyed man very likely knows Luna followed him. We did warn you that stealth and subterfuge isn't our specialty."

"Yes, you did," agrees Talleon, not seeming concerned about it. "And you've done well so far. Hopefully your trip to the Cogs tomorrow will be helpful too. I would guess that you'll only need one more such job to wrap up this operation."

After checking if anyone has any questions, Talleon leaves, but not before saying that he will have his men collect the two muggers from Trillia's house. "I'm sure we'll be able to extract a little more information than they think they have," he says ominously, as he goes.

As they watch him leave, Korm unconsciously runs a hand over the hilt of his sword. "Gnomes!" he mutters. "Dolgrims and dolgaunts, gibbering mouthers and mindflayers - those, I can handle. But these gnomes are just creepy!"

Handled over email between sessions:

Shil:
Talleon leaving you guys occurs on the evening of the 18th. The next thing which you have planned is on the evening of the 19th, when you're supposed to be at the restaurant (the Lava Pit) in the Cogs when Raskalorn will be there and then follow Ras to Khyber's Gate, where he's visiting one of the underground markets, and back to the surface. Anything you do before that?

Rackhir:

"At that point. But I've experience with such things and protective magic before. They are rarely usable beyond a certain period of time and can also be worked around. So I tried divinations at various points in the day, varying the time and question. Eventually, on my fourth try, I got an answer. The question I asked was 'How do we find Arrok's murderer?' The response was 'Dust stirs in Tyrial Dashar's lair, where the circle was broken and may be again'.

It's probably worth bouncing this bit of info off of our other contacts like Flamewind, Havakhad and possibly even Talleon or the Blackened Book Guy. We should also check with the mage guilds.

Does Trillia know anything about him?

Shil:
You use the evening of the 18th and the morning of the 19th to do some checking with various sources. Here's what they say:

Trillia - "I'd done some checking on the Closed Circle when I first became interested in Xoriat, since they were supposedly quite strongly focused on the lore of the daelkyr and that of the Dragon Below. So strongly focused, in fact, that they scared both the Esoteric Order and the Guild of Starlight & Shadow into working together to eliminate them. Unfortunately, it seems that whatever lore about the Closed Circle was recovered (or previously existed) was then destroyed by mutual agreement of the two mage guilds. I'm quite sure some of the individual members, especially those involved in the destruction, might have kept titbits to themselves, but they never shared it openly enough for me to find any contacts. As for Tyrial Dashar, I've heard the name, but I can't remember anything besides him being one of their more powerful members and the fact that his mysterious disappearance was never solved."

Guild of Starlight & Shadow - The resident loremaster-cum-glorified-clerk who handles the library says that he doesn't really know much about the Closed Circle and points Nameless to a few old documents about the history of the Guild. Nameless finds a few references to the destruction of the Closed Circle. Though they provide little detail, they do confirm that the citadel of the Closed Circle was sealed physically and magically and that it was in the undercity of Sharn. In one of the older documents, Nameless catches an interesting titbit that isn't common knowledge. The Order and the Guild did not work alone against the Circle. They were apparently provided substantial aid by the Church of the Silver Flame, whose aid conclusively swung the fight against the Close Circle. Templars of the Church participated in the final attack and the sealing of the Circle's citadel. Tyrial Dashar is mentioned a few times in the old documents, but apparently was never involved in the last battles, having disappeared before that. He is described as a powerful conjuror, who specialized in binding magic. He was also apparently one of the more benevolent members of the Circle, having a workshop somewhere in the undercity not to hide from prying eyes but to avoid endangering Sharn with his experiments. Or so he claimed.

Esoteric Order - None of you is a member, so you can't get at their records.

Flamewind - Flamewind isn't present when you try to meet her.

Warden Balan Cord - "I've only heard of the Closed Circle as a bit of a legend and a supposed example of the madness of mages. And the disappearance of Tyrial Dashar is just one in the long list of unsolved magical mysteries out there. Maybe something he summoned ate him. It was 350 years ago, so let's just say that it's not something we're concerned with now. As for your friend Arrok, unfortunately, there's no good news there. We've done some magical checking but our divinations haven't come up with anything. Unless we have some kind of a break, that case is at a dead end. Nameless, of course, is clearly innocent and there are no worries on that score."

Havakhad - "The Closed Circle is something that I have heard of in passing, but I know nothing about it or this Tyrial Dashar. The kalashtar do what we can to protect Sharn from magical threats, but the Circle has been gone for centuries and has never been a concern for us. I unfortunately cannot tell you who murdered your companion, but I can tell you who did not. The quori were not involved. Without something more specific that I can use my abilities on (such as a murder weapon), I cannot be of much use, but the presence or taint of the quori is something I can always sense. And I have communed with my spirit and those of my people. They confirm that there is no sign of quori involvement in the matter of your dreams, and if they had been involved with the death of your companion, it would have registered too. Still, I will consider the matter of this murder and see if I can learn anything. As for the question of danger, I think you for the warning, but that is part the kalashtar life, though most around us do not know. And I am too old a man to worry about it. If the Lords of Dust are involved, then there is truly danger, though it is unlikely to be simple violence or what seems to be obvious. I have not faced them, though my people have, and they are subtle and patient. I will see if I can help in any way."

 

[shilsen]

A Blast from the Past

On the evening of the 19th, the Angels meet at Trillia's and then head down to Cogsgate in Lower Tavick's. As on their previous visit here, they find the district full of teamsters and laborers traveling to and from the warehouses and storage towers that fill it. Series of carts pass by, carrying ore brought from Zilargo or Karrnath, heading towards the access tunnels to the Blackbones Cogs below.

As the group nears one of the access tunnels, someone shouts from behind them, "Edgar! Hey, Edgar!"

They turn around to see a young man dressed in workman's clothes, hurrying towards them. As he reaches them, he pauses for a moment, stares into Nameless' face, and then hurtles forward and grabs him in a bear-hug. "Son of a bitch! Edgar, you bum - I thought you were dead!"

The young man's eyes then go wide as he finds a couple of swords at his throat. Nameless quickly disengages himself and then, when it's clear there's no danger, says, "You know Edgar? That's fascinating." He then proceeds to pull Edgar out of his pocket.

Once certain that he's not about to be butchered, the man looks first relieved and then puzzledly at Nameless. "What do you mean? Edgar - it's me, Kitan. I thought you got killed in the Mourning. How did you get out? Where have you been? Were you in Sharn ever since?"

Nameless, who has absolutely no memory of the person, explains patiently, "No - I am Nameless. This is Edgar." Which, unsurprisingly, confuses the man a lot.

Over the next few minutes, the stranger explains that he is called Kitan and is from the village of Arjon Ford in Cyre, where he was the neighbor and good friend to Edgar Thorn. Edgar had possessed a little proficiency with magic and had joined the Cyran military in 991 YK, and the last time Kitan saw him was on a short trip back home in 993. Kitan had assumed he'd been killed on the Day of Mourning, which Kitan had only survived due to being in Northern Breland at the time. He'd come to Sharn and been here ever since, working for a furniture maker in High Walls. Kitan says that he's absolutely sure that Nameless is Edgar, though his eyes look a little funny.

Nameless explains that he has no memory of what Kitan says and adds that he's an amnesiac.

"Did Edgar have a thing for eating tentacles?" asks Gareth.

"Huh?! I don't remember anything about him and tentacles." Kitan smiles, his eyes unfocusing slightly at a memory. "Though one of the Tilon twins did once say something about his tentacle after a date. I think she was kidding." He adds, "Edgar and I and a couple of our friends used to go down to the tavern and get drunk and then chase the local girls, especially the twins."

As he is speaking, Nameless has a fleeting visual memory of sitting across a table from a younger-looking Kitan, with mugs of ale on it and a couple more young men sharing the table and laughing with them.

Gareth, having heard Kitan's little anecdote, shakes his head and says, "Drinks and women? Oh yeah - you've definitely got the wrong guy!"

"Really?" Kitan scratches his head and asks, "Do you have a birthmark like an arrowhead on your left shoulder blade?"

Nameless looks at the others. "Do I?"

"Yes!"

"See?" shouts Kitan in excitement, "I knew it was you!" Nameless continues to look unconvinced, not mentioning the little flash of memory he had.

After a little more conversation, Kitan says that he has to go but wants to know if he can come and speak to Nameless and the others another day.

"Definitely!" says Six, "I would be interested to hear more about this over a drink with you." After a moment, he amends, "And watch you have a drink."

Naturally, the others are also interested in this unexpected visitation from Nameless' past, and they tell Kitan that he can find them at Carosten Park. He says he'll be able to do so in a couple of days and leaves.

As they continue onwards, Luna looks at Nameless and says, "Shouldn't you be a little more excited about that?" Nameless simply shrugs and makes no comment.

The Angels proceed to the closest access shaft and head down. When they reach Blackbones, they follow the directions from Talleon's letter until they eventually reach the Lava Pit. It is a large building set into the wall of a cavern.

The entrance area has a lurid red light shining into it from the main chamber beyond. Unlike in the other places that the Angels have recently been, there are no comments made about their weapons, though they do draw a few looks from both the staff and the clientele. Inside, the restaurant is shaped like an amphitheater, with tables around a huge hole in the floor, which overlooks a gigantic abandoned forge. A huge stream of molten lava flows through it, producing the red light that suffuses the place. While the restaurant is no more than adequately appointed, it seems quite upper-class in comparison to the area beyond. It also has quite a wide-ranging menu, with the focus being on spicy barbecued meats from the Shadow Marches.

Shortly after the Angels arrive, Ras arrives too, in his regular disguise as Tars. He goes to a table across the room, which is occupied by the only person besides Gareth in full-plate, a hobgoblin wearing spiky and traditional Dhakaani armor. A shield the size of a small door leans against the wall near him and a flail hangs off the back off his chair. An unarmored goblin in nondescript robes shares the table. They both wave Ras over and he joins them.

Once they are done ordering, Nameless heads to the lavatory and casts a couple of protective spells on himself. Korm, meanwhile, heads for the kitchen, where he startles the cook. Having decided that his cleaver doesn't look that impressive in comparison to the sword Korm is carrying, the cook stops in mid-shout and asks what he wants.

"I just wanted to make sure that it's really spicy. Give me the real deal. Not the water-down stuff you give the Brelish."

"You from the Marches?"

"Yes."

"Ah - in that case...." The cook picks up the chunk of meat he was sprinkling with spices and dips it into three boxes of spices in turn. "Think that'll do?"

"Excellent!" Korm turns around and head back to the table.

The meal turns out to be quite good and Korm's meat is "authentically Marcher steak", as the big orc confirms happily with streaming eyes. The group makes sure to finish just as Ras and his companions are, and leave the Lava Pit a few seconds after them.

The three make their way through Blackbones and head into the boundary area that separates Blackbones (and Ashblack) from the lawless area of Khyber's Gate. In order to make following them easier, Luna transforms into a dog and stays a little distance behind them, while the rest of the group follows a little distance behind.

Eventually the group emerges into Khyber's Gate. Though this area is new to them, it looks exactly as the other parts they have seen do, consisting of a maze of passages with shops and dwellings carved out of the walls. Though the air is less hot than in Blackbones, it is as smoky and also has a constant mild smell of garbage. Korm, seeing this area for the first time, doesn't hide his distaste for these conditions, so far from the more open and natural surroundings he is used to.

As the group moves along, they pass a trio of armed gnolls, most likely members of Daask. They spare a look at the adventurers, as just about all the denizens of the area do, but show no signs of recognition. Gareth, with a large cloak wrapped around himself and knowing that he is the most conspicuous of the group, breathes a quiet sigh of relief as they pass by.

Shortly afterwards, they enter a large cavern which contains a bazaar-like area. The 'shops' consist of tables, trays or just piled-up rocks holding all sorts of wares. A few do resemble shops, mostly consisting of a tent with a table before it or a few poles with cloth hung on them to make a structure. All sorts of things are being sold, from food to clothes to weapons to junk. There is just as much variety in the merchants, which includes many goblinoids. The customers are also of many races. A couple of people seem too well-dressed to be from Khyber's Gate, both of whom have a pair of attendant bodyguards. Just about everyone in sight is carrying a weapon openly.

Ras and the other two move through the market, stopping here and there for a moment but not buying anything, until they come to a small shop. This consists of a tent with a table in front, which holds a variety of weapons and armor, which is staffed by a pair of armed gnolls. Ras speaks to them and is then let into the tent. There is a quick glimpse of two men inside as he enters, but none of the Angels recognize them.

The adventurers move around the area for the next ten minutes, till Ras emerges. As they are about to follow him out of the area, they are stopped by half a dozen impoverished-looking goblins.

"How much dat doggie cost?" asks one.

As Nameless corrects his grammar, another one says, "Yeah - looks like good meat on it."

Gareth chortles at the comment, while Korm hurriedly whispers, "No flame strikes, Luna!"

With a deadpan expression, Nameless says, "You wouldn't want it. Too old and tough."

Luna turns to gaze balefully at her companion, causing both Six and Korm to step away from Nameless. Then, with a warning growl, she turns away and heads towards the exit. Which causes a salivating goblin to heft a rock and say, "Hey - doggie running off. You wants me to stop it?”

"No," says Gareth hurriedly. "And it's not for sale." Unfortunately!

The chuckling adventurers proceed out of the area and follow Luna. She sees Ras leave his companions after a few minutes and continue on alone. He heads back to Blackbones and up to Cogsgate without incident, followed by the Angels all the way.

Once back in aboveground Sharn, Ras walks up to Middle Tavick's and stops in again at Redblade. Recalling the warning from their last visit, the Angels send in a disguised Six alone to keep an eye in him. Ras simply has a drink and talks to Redblade for a few minutes before leaving.

He then takes a skycoach back to Middle Central, with the Angels following a fair distance behind in one. Luna, having changed into a bird once they emerged above ground, follows more closely. She sees him disembark and then head directly back towards the Citadel. As he goes, Ras is accosted at one point by a pair of men who step around a corner with weapons drawn. Luna barely stops herself from dropping a reflexive flame strike on them, which turns out to be a good thing since they apparently know Ras. They shakes hands, exchange a couple of comments and laughs, and then Ras heads on. Once he reaches and enters the Citadel, Luna returns to tell the others.

The Angels then follow their usual procedure, all of them going to Trillia's and leaving Nameless and Six there, after which Gareth heads to Coldflame Keep and the two druids head to Carosten Park.

 

[shilsen]

The next day, the group receives another of Talleon's messages. This one says that Ras will be going down to the Cogs again on the 21st. This time, he'll be going to Shamukaar, where he's supposed to meet with an important contact. The adventurers are to wait at an access shaft in Cogsgate around 6 pm. When they see Ras enter, they are to follow him down and to Shamukaar, where he will be for about 30 minutes, and then follow him back to the surface when he leaves.

The secret page section says that it's very likely that there will be an attack during the trip back from Shamukaar, so the group should be prepared accordingly. If an attack does occur, they should feel free to kill the attackers. Prisoners would be a bonus but are not a major priority. The note ends by saying that this assignment should wrap up the group's work for the Citadel.

With that piece of information received, the Angels go about their business for the rest of the day. Six stops by the weaponsmith with whom he commissioned the drow version of the spiked chain. The weapon is ready for him and he finds that the smith has done a very good job of meeting the specifications Six provided. While he is testing out the weapon, Six checks with the smith about places in Sharn where he can get it enchanted.

"Well," says the man, "You've got a few options. There's the Mithral Blade in Clifftop and Ancient Blades in Deathsgate that specialize in magical weapons. They mainly cater to the adventurers there. Some of those mage guys at the guilds will also do it, and the Cannith joints also do some."

Six visits the two weapon shops in turn and finds that each has a large selection of magical weapons. They are apparently willing to enchant weapons as well, though he currently can't afford it. Six also asks if any of the artificers working at the shops are interested in working for and traveling with the Angels. The response is a combination of amusement and polite rejection. One of the artificers suggests that Six try the adventurers guilds or the mage guilds, adding that while he's much more likely to find people willing to risk their lives at the former, the latter will probably provide more skilled artificers.

When they meet later, Six mentions his idea of hiring an artificer to Nameless. The alienist says that he can check at the Guild of Starlight and Shadows to see whether anyone is interested. Trillia is actually at the Guild right then, to dispose of the extra equipment recovered from the muggers, which the Angels had given her in thanks for her help and hospitality. When she returns, Nameless mentions Six's interest in hiring an artificer. Trillia says that she hasn't had any real interaction with the few artificers that belong to the Guild, so she can't recommend anyone in particular. She does mention having heard of a skilled warforged artificer who has just joined the Esoteric Order, who might be an option to consider.

Gareth, meanwhile, visits the Deneith enclave to check on Lalia's whereabouts. He is informed that she will only be back at the end of the month and perhaps even a little later than that, since she is busy on work outside Sharn.

Korm and Luna spend the majority of the day in and around Carosten Park. At one point, when Luna is flying around the city as an eagle, Surr'kal invites Korm into his cottage. Once they are within, the older druid asks Korm, "There is something I have been meaning to ask you. Tell me - what do you think about the safety of the Key with Nameless and his companions?"

Korm considers and replies, "I believe it's as safe with them as it'd be anywhere in the city." After a slight pause, he adds, "Though they do have a remarkable ability to get into trouble."

"Yes, I'd noticed, which is why I thought I'd ask you. Especially since you've spent some time with them now and know them much better than I do. So you do not have any concerns about the Key's safety?"

Korm shrugs his massive shoulders. "I'd be as concerned wherever it was. It's reasonably safe with them, I think."

Surr'kal hesitates slightly and then says, "And what do you think of Nameless?"

"Nameless? Hmmm. He's the hardest of the lot to get a real sense of. Why'd you ask?"

"I was just wondering if you have any thoughts about his ... stability. Especially in view of his apparent aberration nature. Which I do not understand, and I do not think he does either."

"No, I don't believe he does. As for stability, he hasn't shown any signs of losing control that I've seen. You worried that he's being corrupted in some way? He has a strong will, I think, so it would take something strong to corrupt - and even more, control - him, but then anything's possible. I haven't seen any signs of it."

Surr'kal looks a little relieved and explains, "I do not think he is necessarily being corrupted by the Key, but it is a possibility. You know what proximity to things associated with the daelkyr can do." As Korm nods silently, he continues, "Gurr'khan, for example, is the strongest Gatekeeper in Breland, and is untouched in mind and spirit, but his body has been changed due to the time spent guarding the manifest zone and the Seal that he does."

"Doesn't the dimensional seal prevent such effects?"

"In theory, but often there can be some seepage. There is evidently some in his case. Anyway, I am a little relieved by your opinion of the situation. I'd have asked Luna, but she might have felt uncomfortable talking about her companion." After a moment, Surr'kal adds, "Plus I find her a trifle - unreliable."

Korm grins widely and says, "She's definitely impulsive. I see what you meant about her not liking to be told what to do or constrained in any way."

"Yes. It's a good thing she has never met any of the Greensingers."

Korm thinks of the few Greensingers that he has met and of the influence that one of the friends of the fey, the embodiments of chaos and capricious nature, could have upon Luna. "Oh gods, yes!"

***
The next evening, the group is assembled and waiting nearby when Raskalorn makes his way into one of the access tunnels in Cogsgate. Gareth and Luna, who have both purchased hats of disguise from the Moonlit Loom (a shop in the Clifftop Mystic Market specializing in enchanted clothing), look very different now, as does Six. The adventurers follow Ras down and then through Blackbones towards and into Khyber's Gate.

Ras heads directly towards Shamukaar, the neutral ground area of the district that the Angels had been to once before and barely emerged alive from. They find it to be exactly the same as it was on their previous visit. The building is set into the wall of a large cavern. Even from the outside it is clear that the proportions are slightly larger than for humans.

At the door, the group is met by a strong stench of meat and blood. Inside, they find a combination slaughterhouse, butcher shop, restaurant and tavern. To the right of the large sitting and drinking/eating area that they enter into are a large pair of open doors, revealing the lip of a large pit beyond. As they are taking seats, a couple of them quietly tell Korm that the pit is the arena where they fought a pair of horrid apes on their previous visit.

As on that visit, though there are some customers from the more common races, most of the tavern is occupied by goblinoids, with some gnolls and a couple of ogres, as well as a couple of more exotic individuals. A large minotaur (which the Angels recognize as Torarg, the Daask member) is seated near the bar and talking to a pair of gnolls and a monstrous-looking humanoid with a pair of batlike wings folded behind her. Nameless takes one look and says quietly, "Harpy." The eponymous owner of the establishment, a large half-ogre, is at the bar near Torarg, talking alternately to the Daask members and some others near him. A bugbear serves drinks at the bar, while an ogre stands behind a large table with a cleaver, cutting meat off large slabs of meat hanging from hooks in the ceiling near him.

Ras heads directly to the bar and gets himself a drink. He evidently knows Shamukaar, Torarg and the harpy, since he greets each in turn and exchanges a few words while getting his drink. A couple of minutes after he arrives, a nondescript-looking human walks through the door and heads for a table. Ras promptly walks over to join him.

Meanwhile, a goblin server comes over to the adventurers' table. With their previous experiences here, the others settle for a drink or two, but Korm places an order of the enticingly named "spicy meat" (as opposed to "meat with soss", "meat without soss", "double meat" and the like). Not surprisingly, it turns out to be significantly poorer than what he had at The Lava Pit, but at least he's kept occupied with trying to work out what it might be.

After about twenty minutes, Ras (who took a small package from his companion shortly after sitting down) rises, shakes hands with the man, and heads out the door. The Angels give it a minute or so and follow. Ras heads directly back towards Blackbones, following exactly the same route that he had in coming here. Once they make it out of Blackbones, the adventurers fall back a little and cast a number of protective spells, and then hurry to catch up.

About halfway back to Blackbones, a couple of the Angels hear Ras cry out, followed by the sound of a blow and someone falling. A couple of those with keener hearing detect the sounds of multiple moving feet.

Six is the first to rush forward, unslinging his new spiked chain as he goes, unfortunately rounding the corner a second before Nameless casts haste and Korm mass lesser vigor. In the light of the continual flame rock set into his helmet, Six sees Ras lying on the ground to the right of the larger chamber that the tunnel opens into, with six figures standing around him. Four are skeletons, two slightly larger than the others, all wearing leather armor that hangs loosely on their fleshless frames. The other two are much larger and while they have flesh on their bones, it is clearly undead in nature.

"Ogre zombies! And skeletons!" yells Six as he dives past the first couple of undead and comes up with his back to a wall, his chain lashing out to crack an advancing skeleton's skull.

As his allies follow him, they find that the undead have temporarily blocked the exit to the tunnel in their attempt to follow Six. Not for long, however, as nearly 2000 ursine pounds of wildshaped druid charges into them, shoving them out of the way and creating an opening for Gareth and Korm to follow her.

With everyone able to join in the battle is quickly over, with the skeletons being cut down in seconds. Though the big zombies last a little longer and manage to land a bruising blow or two, they go down soon enough.

With the enemies disposed of, Luna lumbers over to the recumbent figure of Ras and uses her ring to cast a lesser vigor on him. Nameless, who has stayed in the tunnel casting spells out of it walks forward and says, "The question is who put the undead here."

"Good question," says Korm. He concentrates for a moment, calling on his Gatekeeper training, and feels his sense of smell improve. Raising his face he sniffs the still air in the area and says, "I don't detect anyone nearby. Luna?" The bear raises her head and shakes it.

Gareth, who has been cleaning pieces of zombie flesh off Kizmet, looks over at Six, who has moved to the one exit from the chamber. "Six?"

The big warforged takes a step back and readies his chain, as he notes the figures emerging around the corner of the tunnel he is looking into. "We've got company."

 

[shilsen]

Enter the Gninja (or "Korm critted WHO?!")

The enemies Six sees are all goblinoids. In the lead is a burly-looking bugbear with a gleaming greatsword. Next to the bugbear is an armored hobgoblin with a tower shield, whom Six recognizes as the one that was with Ras at the Lava Pit. The goblin who was with them is also present, along with four mirror images that mimic his movements. A small glowing magical hand floats at his side. A second unarmored goblin walks beside him. The fifth member of the group is another hobgoblin in full plate, though this one carries a heavy steel shield and has no drawn weapon. A holy symbol hangs at his throat.

Even as Six shouts a warning, the first goblin makes a gesture and speaks a string of arcane syllables, causing an invisible burst of force to explode among the Angels. The spell is still in the process of being cast as the second goblin races forward, diving past Six before he can react and coming up on the opposite side. Even as the goblin rises, it disappears from sight. A shuriken leaps from the point where it was last seen, crackling through the air to embed itself in Nameless' chest.

Nameless staggers back and gasps, "Sharaat'khesh!", identifying it as one of the infamous goblin ninja. Shaking off the pain, the alienist does what he does best, summoning three pseudonatural bison, two within the tunnel to block the goblinoids' egress and one next to the invisible ninja. The leading bison hurls forward, driving the hastily raised tower shield into the helmet of its wielder. The one near the ninja butts at an empty space and bellows its frustration as it misses.

"Keep them bottled in there!" advises Gareth as he hurries up to the tunnel, placing himself behind the bison filling it. As Korm follows, the hobgoblin in the rear drops a dispel magic in the area. Not only do many of the adventurers feel a spell being stripped off them, but the three bison promptly disappear.

As soon as a space is created, the goblinoids move forward, with the tower shield-user in the lead. Gareth slices at him and is surprised as he smoothly pivots, letting Kizmet slide off his shield, and wraps his flail around the paladin's foot, almost pulling him off balance. Without pausing, the hobgoblin continues by, placing himself before Korm. The large bugbear roars a battle-cry and stops to cut at Gareth and land a deep cut on his shoulder, while the wizard and the cleric (whose symbol is now seen to be the curved blue dagger of the Keeper) also move closer.

Both Six and Luna are temporarily dazed by the effects of the goblin's first spell and this lets the enemy focus on the others. The wizard sends his spectral hand shooting forward to strike Nameless in the chest. A powerful shock rocks the wounded alienist and he collapses. The cleric drops a sound burst between Korm, Six and Gareth, further wounding all three.

Korm, shaking off the spell's effects, moves closer, his newly manifested ability to scent enemies letting him pinpoint the invisible ninja. The big orc quickly drops a faerie fire in the area, illumining the goblin with insubstantial purple flames.

The momentary success is one of very few for the adventurers. The attackers display an eerie combination of excellent tactics, teamwork, unexpected abilities and not inconsiderable luck. The ninja dives through the Angels to come up on the far side, snapping, "Get this off me!" to his allies. To the disgust of Korm and the others, the cleric promptly does so, allowing the ninja to disappear again and strike Luna with a shuriken she cannot dodge.

The druid in bear form growls at the pain and focuses on casting a summon spell of her own. Since it takes longer than Nameless' ones do, she is a target of opportunity while casting and suffers an attack from the wizard, his spectral hand now draining some of her health with a vampiric touch. Despite the distraction, she retains her focus.

Korm, Six and Gareth, meanwhile, are fighting the bugbear and the hobgoblin warrior. The bugbear swings powerful blows with equal force to Korm, while the hobgoblin focuses on hampering their enemies, constantly threatening to twirl their weapons out of their hands. His most deadly attack, however, is not even launched by him. Korm, just having pulled his greatsword from the clutches of his flail, sets his feet and swings back with all his strength. As the blow comes in, the hobgoblin pivots out of the way, letting Korm's unusual greatsword slide along the surface of his shield and striking Korm lightly on the shoulder to add to his momentum. Off-balance, Korm has no way to stop himself. Gareth's eyes go wide in first surprise and then pain as Korm's sword slams into his side, cracking a rib.*

"Aaargh! What the hell?!" cries Gareth, even as Korm mutters a hurried, "Sorry!"

The sight is almost more of a shock for Luna than the spells and shuriken hitting her, but she manages to retain her concentration and end her spell. A unicorn appears next to Nameless' recumbent form, looking around expectantly. ! thinks Luna, realizing that she cannot speak in bear form, I can't order it to heal Nameless! Luckily, Six, Korm and Gareth all shout, "Heal him!" The bear nods vigorously to show its assent and the unicorn nods in return**, touching Nameless with its horn. Some of his wounds close immediately and his eyes open.

"Yes!" exults Korm, as Luna now comes roaring into the fight to claw and grab the bugbear, "Now summon some more of those bison and let's kill these idiots!"

The moment of hope is unfortunately short-lived. Even as he speaks, the ninja pops in and out of sight, this time sending four shuriken flying through the air. A couple knock Nameless back into unconscious before he can recover enough to cast a spell, while the others embed themselves in Luna's sides. To add injury to insult, the bugbear seizes the moment to break free as she winces as the pain.

Unable to wound the hobgoblin behind his tower shield, Six focuses on the shield itself and attacks it. Though he puts a couple of large cracks in it, the shield remains whole. Korm, however, ignoring the wizard's attempt to grease his sword (which he has already had to pick up once after being disarmed by the hobgoblin), does manage to wound the hobgoblin grievously. The warrior backs away and cries to his cleric ally, "Heal me!" Even in the middle of a fight, Korm can't help commenting to Gareth, "Hey - he sounds like you!"

Luna, already badly wounded and realizing that they need to drop the enemy spellcasters, charges the enemy wizard. Her sense of smell lets her pick him out from his mirror images, but in her hurry she stumbles as she strikes at him***. Before she can recover, the ninja buries a volley of shuriken in her side and she collapses. The clearly relieved wizard steps away from her and fires three magic missiles past her. Nameless, having once more regained consciousness due to the unicorn's healing, slumps to the ground again!****

Korm shouts an orcish oath and hurls his greatsword, its enchantment sending it flying through the air at first the cleric and then the wizard. To his disgust and disappointment, both targets dodge out of the way*****. Grabbing the sword as it flies back to him, Korm rejoins Six and Gareth in their struggle, but it's a losing battle. Six is the first to go down, the fact that he hadn't been within range of the mass lesser vigor making a substantial difference. A second after Six drops, Gareth manages to smite the hobgoblin warrior to the ground. And then collapses on his fallen enemy as the bugbear drives his sword into the paladin's side. Before the bugbear can recover, Korm decapitates him.

Which leaves the badly wounded orc alone facing the cleric, the wizard and the now visible ninja (who has just slain the summoned unicorn). Only for a couple of seconds. The cleric raises an armored fist, which begins to glow with a dark, coruscating energy. He steps in with an anticipatory smile and touches Korm's chest. The latter immediately feels a coldness surround his heart and contract painfully, as if the cleric were physically squeezing it. Though he tries to resist, Korm is too badly wounded already and everything goes black for him.******

***
All of the adventurers other than Six open their eyes to find themselves still in the chamber. They are still badly wounded and their hands are tied behind them. Above them stand the three remaining goblinoids, the dead hobgoblin and bugbear still lying in the middle of the floor.

Not very surprisingly, among the goblinoids stands Ras and, besides him, the blue-eyed and bearded man that the Angels had seen with him before. I knew there was something strange going on! thinks Luna. There's no way he should have stayed unconscious after I healed him.

Ras, satisfaction evident on his face, steps forward to place a sword at Nameless' throat. "So tell me," he asks, "Who paid you to spy on me?" There is a long moment of silence and then Luna says, "I'll explain." She looks at the others and says, "Leave it to me." Despite their situation, all three of her companions turn to stare at her, Nameless nearly cutting his throat in the process. What?!

Luckily for them, Luna never does get to try out her diplomatic abilities. As Ras turns to look at her, there is the twang of a bowstring and the sound of metal hitting flesh. Ras screams as the head of a crossbow bolt erupts from his shoulder and spins around, as do his allies.

Standing at the same entrance that the goblinoids had used is Talleon, a crossbow in his hands. Beside and behind him are six people, three of them wearing Citadel uniforms (as Talleon does), two pointing wands at the goblinoids. "I did," says Talleon conversationally, before adding to his companions, "Take them."

What follows isn't a fight so much as a massacre. The three goblinoids have used all their resources in taking down the Angels and neither Ras nor the bearded man are expecting trouble. Within seconds, the wizard and the cleric are dead, the ninja is fleeing invisibly, and Ras and the bearded man are rendered insensible.

The attackers then move up to ensure that the goblinoids are dead, to restrain the two unconscious men, and to free and heal the Angels enough that they can take care of themselves. Talleon comes up to the Angels and says, "Good work. We'll take care of things from here on out. I'll see you at the Park early tomorrow."

Since it's clear that their presence is no longer needed or desired, the Angels tend to their remaining wounds and then head back to the surface.

***
Next morning, Talleon shows up to Carosten Park. He thanks the group again for their work. Naturally, none of the Angels seems as satisfied as he does.

"So you were expecting us to get attacked there?" asks Gareth.

"Yes," admits Talleon without the least sign of embarrassment or deception. "I counted on Raskalorn realizing that you were following him and wanting to find out who was getting you to do so. It wasn't too much of a stretch, considering what you," he indicates Nameless, "Said about your lack of stealthiness."

Nameless doesn't reply and Talleon continues, "The Cogs were a place where he'd risk an open attack as he couldn't - or wouldn't - in Sharn. Those people who attacked you were a crack mercenary group who'd recently come to Sharn from Darguun. When Ras set up the ambush one of my ... contacts informed me. I figured you'd either defeat them or at least weaken them enough for us to be able to drop them and grab Ras. He has some influential contacts so I needed to catch him red-handed. And we did."

Korm glowers at him and says, "So if we died that would be ... what? An acceptable loss?"

Talleon snorts, though it's unclear whether that's because Korm's comment is incorrect or because it goes without saying. "You risk your lives daily and I told you it would be dangerous." He shrugs and adds, "Anyway, you survived. So everybody - except Ras - wins."

"Can we get a note of thanks or some token of the work we did?" asks Gareth.

"Hah!" laughs Talleon. "I told you - the Citadel doesn't pay for services rendered. But if I can put in a good word for you in the future I will. If you do ever need to contact me for some reason, tell Warden Balan Cord." He looks at Korm and adds, "Don't fly up to the Citadel again."

"I'll remember that." And I'm in no hurry to meet you again.

"Then," says Talleon, "This is goodbye. For now. I'm quite impressed with your abilities and I may contact you again regarding any work I think you're especially suited for. If nothing else, you may find it helpful when you're trying to do things like identify a certain gnome."

Nobody replies and Talleon leaves. Once he is out of sight, Nameless looks around at the others. "Another job for the Citadel? Anyone for Yarkuun Draal?"

"Yes!"

* Elusive Target is a beautiful, beautiful feat. Esp. when your player is nice enough to roll and confirm a critical on his ally
** The caster has to be the one able to command a summoned creature to do something other than fight, but I figured I'd cut the group some slack. As you can see, they needed it!
*** One of a few 1s the players rolled at crucial times
**** Strangely, though Nameless went down thrice, he never went below -10 hit pts (as Luna, Gareth and Korm did)
***** I think he rolled something like a 2 and 3 to hit, and when using an action pt, again rolled 2 and 3 on the two d6 (needed a 4). Which mimicked Six's previous use of an action pt.
****** Death Touch is a very nasty domain power

 

[shilsen]

Time for a Road Trip

Gareth Byron Deneith - Human Pal3/Clr2/Exorcist of the Silver Flame4
Korm'akhan - Orc Drd7/Hexer2
Luna - Shifter Drd9
Mithral 6 of 6 - Warforged Ftr4/Scout5 (retroactive level change)
Nameless - Human Wiz6/Alienist3

Shortly after Talleon leaves, an elderly orc carrying a gnarled staff steps out of the bark of a large tree near the Gatehouse. He walks up to the Angels, who recognize him as Gurr'khan, and gives them a nod. Then turning to Surr'kal, he says gruffly, "So - what's the big emergency?"

The group settles down on the lawn-like area outside the Gatehouse, and Nameless casts a private sanctum spell to protect them from mundane or magical eavesdropping. Surr'kal then proceeds to explain all of the details about the adventurers' experiences with the Key. The Angels fill in with details as needed.

Gurr'khan listens quietly for the most part, other than for the odd question or comment. When Surr'kal is done, he explains that they need more information than is available to them here, and he thought that Gurr'khan could help, since he is the only Gatekeeper in Breland capable of traveling instantly to the Shadow Marches or the Eldeen Reaches.

Gurr'khan thinks about it for a while and then asks, indicating the Angels around him, "Do you trust them with it?"

Surr'kal looks a little surprised, whether at the bluntness or the question itself. "Umm ... I ... yes, I do trust them."

Gurr'khan says, "Good. Then I'll respect your judgement and not take it from them," with no trace of humor. He then adds, "I am no loremaster, but I can think of a couple of people who might know more about this - or at least tell me of someone who might. Saala Torrn in the Marches. And Koruun, in the Reaches."

Korm, who is meeting the older Gatekeeper for the first time and has been watching him carefully, says, "I know of Koruun. And I've met Saala once. She is a wise woman."

"Yes," says Gurr'khan, and continues, "I'll stay here tonight and leave tomorrow. I would have gone traveling sooner or later, and this is as good an excuse as any other. It'll take me a week or so to meet and speak to both and then return, I think. I can't take you all with me, and that's not necessary right now anyway."

"I can teleport us up to 900 miles, if needed," says Nameless.

"That wouldn't even get us to the Marches, but it'll be a helpful option for the future. I think you may have to do some traveling to get answers. Speaking of which, I have some more questions."

Gurr'khan spends some more time with the group asking about details of their time in Sharn with the Key, taking especial interest in Arrok's murder and the links between the Key and the adventurers.

Afterwards, the group heads to Trillia's home. After they tell her that the job for the Citadel is now completed, she begins to discuss plans for the expedition to Yarkuun Draal.

Trillia says that she wants to leave two days later, on the morning of the 24th. While the adventurers were in Xen'drik, she paid a small group of explorers to travel near Yarkuun Draal and scried them, so that she can teleport there. With a spell to shrink the four Angels besides Six, she can take all of them with her. The location is about a dozen miles from Yarkuun Draal, from which they will travel to about two miles from the city and spend the night there, so that both Nameless and she have a place they are familiar enough with to teleport to when needed.

Trillia emphasizes that this will be a very dangerous expedition and she wants to be as safe as they can be. If the group gets into a bad situation, Nameless should get as many people out and back to her place in Sharn and she will do the same. The aim is not to clean out Yarkuun Draal, since that would not be possible without a large army, if at all.

Luna, getting a little bored with the discussion, yawns and says, "So why are we going to this place?"

Trillia, who's got used to the mercurial druidess, grins and says, "Different reasons, I suppose. For myself, and presumably for Nameless, it's about knowledge. We study the creations of the daelkyr and the influences of Xoriat. For Six, it's a chance to get out of the city and avoid dealing with gnomes. Korm gets to practice fighting the aberrations that the Gatekeepers oppose. Gareth gets to smite evil creatures and bring the light of the Flame into a dark place." Trillia grins broadly and says, "And you, my dear, get to kick ass without taking names and drop flame strikes without having to worry about collateral damage."

Luna grins back. "I'm in. Let's go. Now."

Trillia laughs and continues. "Also, considering that Yarkuun Draal was supposedly one of the finest cities of the Dhakaani empire, eve after all this time I'm sure there are historical artifacts that might be of value, not to mention magical items. If my theory about there being a dimensional seal is correct, the chances are that there are powerful aberrations in the area trying to affect it, and they're sure to have magical possessions of their own. As well as retaining original Dhakaani items, I presume. So there's a good chance you'll be getting a lot richer too. I'm obtaining a letter of marque tomorrow that will let us retain or sell Dhakaani items we recover."

"Better and better," says Luna. "I have a big list of things I'd like to pick up at some point."

Trillia then turns to Nameless. "Are you planning to take that Key with you? If I'm right about the dimensional seal and if that thing can unlock any dimensional seal, if any aberration there finds out you have it, we'll end up as far more important targets than we already will be."

"We don't have too many options," says Nameless. He taps the adamantine-bound case in which he now carries the Key. "And it's about as safe here as anywhere else. Plus it can't really be detected magically, which helps."

"How about trying to use that Key again?" interrupts Luna.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean - why don't you try experimenting with it? Like see if you can use it to control or destroy aberrations or find some other powers it has."

"I'm ... not really sure that's a good idea. Especially since I really can't control it or predict what the result will be."

"Okay. Just a suggestion." Wuss!

"However," says Nameless, turning to Trillia, "I'd like to attempt a contact another plane regarding Arrok's murder. And, as you know, if that goes wrong then it might delay the trip a bit."

"Hmm. You really want to risk it?"

"Yes. I think it's worth the attempt."

"Fine. It's your call."

Nameless explains a little about the contact other plane dweomer to the others, especially the fact that the strain it will put on him might affect his ability to use magic for a while. After the explanation and having discussed what he might ask, the group goes to Trillia's spellcasting sanctum.

There, Nameless prepares himself, casts a couple of preparatory spells to further protect himself, and then speaks the tongue-twisting words of the spell. Each of the ten syllables takes an entire minute of concentration to pronounce. Once he has pronounced the last one, Nameless feels his consciousness expanding, the mental sensation being accompanied by a physical pressure inside his head. The pressure increases to near unbearable proportions, but he grits his teeth and, after a couple of seconds when he feels he might succumb*, the pressure disappears.

A strange illusory web appears before Nameless, pulsing with light. He realizes that he is in temporary contact with a vast reservoir of cosmic knowledge, with every glowing mote on the web consisting of a piece of information. Then he hears a voice in his head, which says simply, "Ask."

Nameless says, both aloud and in his mind, "Have we met the murderer of Arrok?"

There is a pause and then the web reorients itself, a single speck on one strand glowing more brightly as the answer comes, "Yes."

Even as Nameless is about to ask another question, he hears - and vaguely sees, though the glowing web monopolizes his vision, overlaying the reality in the room around him - Luna. "They dropped the charges against you, right? So why do we give a damn about Arrok's murder?"

Nameless can't help rolling his eyes, even as he struggles to retain his concentration. Unusually for him, he is relieved to hear Gareth speak. "Because Arrok's murderer is probably interested in the Key and might want to kill us, so we need to find out about him."

Speaking quietly and trying not to lose concentration, Nameless adds, "And because I promised to protect Arrok."

"Too late now for that, isn't it?" continues Luna.

Nameless sighs and ignores her. Aloud, he asks, "Is Arrok's murderer a member of the Closed Circle?"

Again, the web reorients and the answer comes, "No." There is a pause and then it continues, "But he is near where the Closed Circle was."

"Yeah, okay," continues the irrepressible Luna. "Ask it if he's Killian. Or a gnome."

Oh my bloody gods that I do not worship!"Gareth!" says Nameless urgently, "Please talk to her about something ... anything ... before she ruins the spell."

Gareth grins at Nameless' irritation and then says, "So, Luna - let me tell you about the Silver Flame."

Luna promptly feigns rolling over and beginning to snore, but she does stop interrupting Nameless. The alienist continues, "Did we meet Arrok's murderer before leaving for Xen'drik?"

This time, the answer is quicker. "Yes. And after."

With only one question left, Nameless thinks for a moment and then asks, "Is Arrok's murderer male or female?"

There is a long pause and then the answer. "Male. Though he does not need to appear so."

With that, the web quickly spirals in on itself and fades away, leaving Nameless with spots in front of his eyes and the beginnings of a headache.

"Didn't seem that helpful," comments Luna on the way out. Gareth and Nameless exchange glances, for once in agreement.

***
Gurr'khan leaves the next morning, gruffly warning the group to keep themselves and the Key safe, before he steps into the tree and disappears.

Later, Kitan stops by the Park to speak to Nameless, or Edgar Thorn, as he calls him. The discussion isn't any more pleasurable for him than the previous one, since it's quite (and quickly) clear that Nameless - though remaining polite - isn't really interested in finding out about his past.

"But don't you want to find out who you are?" asks a clearly confused Kitan.

"I know who I am. I'm Nameless. And this," he indicates the rock, "Is Edgar."

"But what about your past? Where you came from?"

"My past is irrelevant. All that matters is the future. And that I will craft."

Gareth, who has recently developed greater powers through his link with the Silver Flame, concentrates silently on trying to detect thoughts. Completely unnoticed by Kitan, the paladin is now able to read his surface thoughts. The overriding emotion he picks up is one of confusion, layered into thoughts that flit through Kitan's mind, such as "But why doesn't he care?", "How could he have forgotten everything?" and "What the hell is it with him and the damn rock?!" One fleeting thought that is particularly interesting for Gareth is, "Should I tell him about his parents?"

It's quite clear to Gareth that Kitan is exactly who he says he is, so he looks at Nameless and gives a quick nod and tries to convey facially that Kitan is telling the truth.

Nameless stares back at him for a moment and then says, "Are you constipated, Gareth?"

As Gareth sighs, Luna steps in, speaking to Kitan. "Did Edgar have a twin or a relative who looked a lot like him? I'm just wondering if Nameless looking like him is a coincidence."

"I don't think so. The resemblance is ... well, it's not just a resemblance. He looks exactly the same. And remember the birthmark?"

"Yes, that's true. So what happened to his family?"

Kitan hesitates, throwing a look at Nameless, and then says, "His parents - Teros and Pomela - both died on the Day of Mourning. I'm sorry."

When he mentions the names, Nameless has a momentary feeling of familiarity, like one does when hearing a name one recognizes but cannot place. His expression, however, doesn't change, remaining at the level of polite interest.

Kitan stares at Nameless, clearly expecting more of a reaction. Realizing that it isn't forthcoming, Luna quickly distracts Kitan with more questions, and Kitan says some more about Edgar. He says that Edgar was the son of wealthy farmers and had some minor magical ability, which is why he had joined a special forces unit in the military.

After a few more minutes, Kitan says, "I have to leave now. Perhaps I will come by again later. If that is all right?"

"Certainly," says Nameless urbanely. Can't you take a hint?

As Kitan leaves, Luna says, "I don't think he'll be back in a hurry." She looks at Nameless. "You really don't want to know about your past? Assuming it is your past, that is."

"No," says Nameless shortly. He taps his forehead. "All I need to remember is here."

***
Later in the day, the group checks the Korranberg Chronicle, as usual. The main article this time takes up not just the front page but has a number of offshoots dominating the bulk of the paper. It is about the supposed destruction of the Lord of Blades. The article says a fact-finding mission to the Mournland (which was sponsored by House Cannith, guarded by Deneith mercenaries, and included experts from Morgrave University) encountered proof of his existence and information about his location.

Baron Merrix d'Cannith, who spoke to the KC about the events, says that he was persuaded to arrange an attack on the Lord of Blades' camp by the well-known Brelish adventuring group, the Blades of Arakhain, whom the Angels knew of and had met in passing during the Brightblade celebrations. The Blades had encountered the Lord of Blades on an earlier expedition into the Mournland and were part of this one. Merrix says that they persuaded him that it was for the good of all Khorvaire that the Lord of Blades be eliminated, and he allowed the Blades to lead a force of Deneith mercenaries and Cannith artificers against his camp.

The Lord of Blades was slain during the battle and his forces scattered. Sadly, the Blades were slain as well. Merrix declined to discuss their deaths, other than to say that they had gallantly sacrificed their lives to keep Khorvaire safe from a great danger, or to reveal anything about the location of the Lord of Blades' camp, saying that he was discussing it with members of Parliament and the Court and that it was a matter of national security.

As they travel around town while making their preparations for the trip, the Angels find that the subject is a very hot topic for discussion. Opinions range from those who believe that it's all true and are very relieved at the news to those who think Merrix eliminated the warforged messiah for his own benefit to those who think it is a complete fabrication. Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, there are a fair number who are vocal with their opinion that this is more proof of warforged as a species being a danger to the people of Khorvaire and that they should be constrained in some way, instead of being allowed to wander freely and treated as equals. Nobody is stupid enough to voice this to Six, but he does at one point get a couple of stones thrown at him by a bunch of children, who chant "Monster! Monster! Go to the Mournland!" and then run off. Six simply watches them go, reminding himself how stupid people can be and being a little relieved that Luna isn't with him when it happens.

***
The next morning, after having made the last of their preparations and completed a hearty breakfast, the group prepares to depart from Trillia's house. When they are all ready, Trillia casts a spell that reduces Nameless, Gareth, Luna and Korm to half their size. Having used it, she has them all clasp hands and then puts a hand on Nameless' shoulder, before casting teleport.

The adventurers feel a momentary sense of dislocation, as if the ground had fallen away under their feet. And then they are standing on a dusty, rocky plain, next to a small oasis of trees around a pool of water.

"Ladies and gentlemen," says Trillia, looking around with a look of satisfaction on her face, "Welcome to the Siln Highlands."


* Nameless blew the save and had to use an action pt to prevent his Int dropping to 8 for the next 5 weeks

 

[Gold Roger]

Baron Merrix d'Cannith, who spoke to the KC about the events, says that he was persuaded to arrange an attack on the Lord of Blades' camp by the well-known Brelish adventuring group, the Blades of Arakhain, whom the Angels knew of and had met in passing during the Brightblade celebrations. The Blades had encountered the Lord of Blades on an earlier expedition into the Mournland and were part of this one. Merrix says that they persuaded him that it was for the good of all Khorvaire that the Lord of Blades be eliminated, and he allowed the Blades to lead a force of Deneith mercenaries and Cannith artificers against his camp.

The Lord of Blades was slain during the battle and his forces scattered. Sadly, the Blades were slain as well. Merrix declined to discuss their deaths, other than to say that they had gallantly sacrificed their lives to keep Khorvaire safe from a great danger, or to reveal anything about the location of the Lord of Blades' camp, saying that he was discussing it with members of Parliament and the Court and that it was a matter of national security.

Wasn't that the other group you DM. Since you can't really TPK your groups, I take it far more is going on here?

 

[Piratecat]

* Elusive Target is a beautiful, beautiful feat. Esp. when your player is nice enough to roll and confirm a critical on his ally

Yoink!

 

[shilsen]

Wasn't that the other group you DM. Since you can't really TPK your groups, I take it far more is going on here?

Yes, that is the other group. We've been having a lot of scheduling difficulties and significantly losing momentum, so we've temporarily put that Eberron game on hold and I'm running a Mutants & Masterminds game for them for the time being. We ended with their PCs on the way to the LoB's main camp (after having taken out a smaller one and learned of the main one's location), so I know they'd end up with a big battle against him, which I presume they would win. And let's just say that they'd be likely to have a conflict of interest with their employers over some of the things they'd discover, so it's very likely they'd be attacked at the end of it and end up being stuck in the Mournland and having to find their way out. So, depending on when (& whether) we continue with that campaign, stories of their demise may be greatly exaggerated.

Yoink!

Enjoy! And say "hello" to your PCs from me

 

[shilsen]

The area that the Angels find themselves in is a study in contrasts. Most of it is rocky and barren, with small cracks and crevasses breaking up the ground, and large spires and outcrops of rock rising above it. Dotted across the area, however, are a large number of oases, made up of ferns and surrounding trees that overhang a central pool. Trillia says that literally thousands of underground springs emerge in such oases across the area. She also points out the rough trail that leads towards and away from the oasis they are near, saying that it was made by the Dhakaani empire.

Near where they appeared are the remnants of an old camp and a fire-pit, presumably left by the travelers whom Trillia had paid to come to this place. Six checks the fire-pit and says, “Something - or somebody - went through this some time after it was last lit.”

Trillia, who has been orienting herself direction-wise, says, “Probably not a creature from the city, but one can’t say.” She points and adds, “Heading directly south-east should get us there. I’m estimating it’s about a dozen miles away.”

Before they leave, Luna says that she wants to try something. “You can talk to other planes and stuff,” she tells Nameless, “But I’ll take getting information from nature any day. At least it doesn‘t rot your brain.”

Assuming a cross-legged stance, she recites the words and goes through the gestures of a commune with nature. As she proceeds, Luna feels herself becoming one with the land around her, information about the area flooding into her senses. Knowing that she cannot contain or comprehend all the information, she focuses on just three subjects - the presence of humanoids in the area, the presence of powerful aberrations and the presence of minerals. She picks up a sense of a large number of humanoids, perhaps over a hundred, about six miles to the northeast. She also senses two large sets of aberrations to the east and the southeast, near the limits of her ability, which is about nine miles. As for minerals, she picks up minor silver deposits very deep underground and a large concentration of iron very close to or in the same area as the large humanoid presence.

After she informs them what she discovered, the group heads southeast, following one of the old trails. It is quickly clear that the roads must have been excellent highways at one point, with millennia of wear and tear having reduced them to the state of a well-worn track. Nevertheless, it does make travel easier.

After they have traveled for about 2 hours, a few of the Angels notice tracks along the trail. They stop to let Six, aided by Luna, cast around and find more about the tracks. He eventually decides that they must have been made by four to six creatures of human size, wearing armor or at least metal-shod boots. He also finds a smaller track, about halfling size, which seems to have been made by a creature traveling with but ahead of those making the larger tracks, perhaps acting as a scout. He estimates that the tracks are only a day or two old.

“Perhaps they’re hobgoblins,” says Trillia. “There have been reports of hobgoblins in the area for decades, with the rare attack on travelers and even a couple of ineffectual raids on Flint Keep. Probably descendants of the original owners of Yarkuun Draal.”

“Do you want me to see if I can track them? This ground doesn’t hold tracks well, but I might be able to.”

“No need. As long as they don’t bother us, we shouldn’t mess with them.”

The group continues onwards, traveling through the afternoon. The weather is hotter than the Angels are used to in Sharn, but being outside the manifest zone means it’s also much drier, so the traveling is quite comfortable.

When they are about six miles away from their starting point, the group is startled by the sound of cries from above, combining a deep-throated growl and a loud hiss. Spinning around, they see three large creatures dive off the top of a thick rocky spire over a hundred feet tall and about eighty feet away. As they spread their leathery bat wings and come zooming downwards with claws extended, a number of the adventurers cry out, “Wyverns!”

Nameless is the quickest to react, throwing a pinch of powder in the air and casting a spell. Trillia gives a snort of laughter as she realizes what he’s doing, and the other spell casters grin too. A puzzled Six just begins to ask, “What’s so fu…” when two of the wyverns flatten themselves painfully against the wall of force that Nameless just conjured. With startled squawks and expressions of confusion and anger, they slide off and land on the ground. The third wyvern comes in talons first at Six, only to have him dodge aside and feed it a faceful of spiked chain.

After that inauspicious (for the wyverns, that is) beginning to the attack, the rest of the battle is quite one-sided. Neither Nameless nor Trillia even bother to summon anything for support, settling for a little supportive magic, while the other four rip into the wyverns. The creatures manage to land some powerful blows with their fangs, wings and talons, but not enough to be dangerous. The creatures are too stupid to flee during the very limited period when they have a chance and are quickly turned into wyvern steak, though only Luna (perhaps giving in to the animal instincts of her ursine form) tries some.

“Does she usually eat what you kill?” asks Trillia, watching with interest as the bear bites into one of the carcasses. "Especially raw?”

“Not that I’ve noticed,” replies Korm. “And she’s not eating it raw, or not completely. That's the one she used flame strike on. Seals in the flavor.”

Luna quits after a couple of bites and rejoins the others, and after taking care of the necessary healing and making sure that neither Korm nor Gareth (each of whom was stung by a wyvern’s tail) has been poisoned, the group heads on.

The rest of the day’s journey is uneventful, with the landscape remaining constant. The travelers do notice, however, that there is a change in the forms - or rather, variety - of life in the area. While the flora remains essentially the same, consisting of concentrated clumps of vegetation around the multitude of pools that they pass, the fauna in the area gradually becomes scarcer. As the miles pass, the birds, small mammals and reptiles diminish in number.

“I’m guessing they sense the proximity of the city in some way,” comments Trillia, as she brings the group to a halt, even though there’s enough light for the group to continue for at least an hour. “We're probably about two or three miles from the city and I’d rather be some distance from there.”

Once they have made camp, Trillia and Nameless spend a while studying every facet of the immediate and surrounding area. “Remember,” she reminds him, “If it ever looks like we’re in really serious trouble - and I’m sure we will be, sooner or later - get as many people as you can out and come here. I’ll get the rest.”

Once they are ready to turn in, Luna takes the staff from the island and places it upright in the middle of the camp. As she activates the staff, it expands to become a twenty foot tall sapling and roots itself firmly, despite the rocky ground. A small cluster of branches appear along its sides and at the top, with those six feet above the ground holding a small bunch of berries, an apple and a tangerine. A hemisphere with a diameter of forty feet forms around it, mimicking the effect of a tiny hut spell. Luna pulls off a berry and pops it in her mouth. “Aah, goodberry - don’t leave home without it.”

The first two watches of the night pass peacefully. During the third, the never-sleeping Six's keen eyes* spots movement about a hundred and fifty feet away from the camp. Looking around carefully in the light of the stars and Eberron’s multiple moons, he notices over half a dozen wolf-like creatures spaced around the camp, all stealthily creeping closer.

“Look out!” he says to Korm and Gareth, both of whom are on watch with him, “Company - there, there, and there!” Then he raises his voice and shouts, “Get up! We’re under attack! Wolves!” Taking a few quick steps to the side, he punctuates his words by booting Luna, sleeping in her bear form, in the ribs.

She comes growling out of her sleep, giving Six a dirty look as she realizes what he just did. Nameless quickly rises too, followed more slowly by Trillia, who is apparently as heavy a sleeper as she is loud a snorer.

Korm looks around, catching sight of the creatures now that Six has pointed them out, and says, “They can’t be wolves. This isn’t the right environment.”

He’s quickly proved correct, as the creatures - realizing that they’ve been spotted - leap to their feet and fully reveal themselves. Each has a canine form and a vaguely wolf-like (but much larger) head, but the long, almost serpentine neck that bears it grows out of the middle of the beast’s back. The sides are marked with what look like tattoos and runes. Those members of the group with better eyesight note that the creatures have no eyes.

“What in Hell are those things?” asks Gareth, with Luna adding a curious growl.

Nameless, in the middle of casting a haste on the group, says, “I think they’re runehounds. I’ve never fought one but I read about them. They’re creations of the daelkyr. They’re affected by silver weapons and their wounds heal very quickly.”

Trillia adds, “And can spit globs of acid and webbing over long distances. So watch out.” Luna promptly growls and waves a paw, casting a spell to resist energy on herself.

“At least,” says Nameless, as the others assume defensive positions, “They can’t see us through the tiny hut, so they can’t target us easily.”

This theory doesn’t last long. The eight runehounds come loping in to a distance of about fifty feet, before they all spit globs of acid. Despite the lack of evident eyes and the concealment provided by the tiny hut, they are clearly able to target the adventurers. Each and every one of the group is hit by at least one glob of acid, only Luna being unaffected, due to her protective spell. The runehounds all howl loudly and charge in.

“Damn!” swears Korm, trying to scrape the sticky, burning liquid off his chest. “Wolves would have been a lot better.”

“Yes,” agrees Nameless. “They would!” He casts a spell and a wolf more than thrice the size of one of the runehounds appears next to it. As always with Nameless’ summoned creatures, this one has a writhing fringe of tentacles. It bites deeply into the side of the startled runehound and pulls it yelping off its feet.

“What happened to the wall of beef?” asks Six, as he tumbles past an onrushing runehound and then lays its side open.

“I upgraded,” says Nameless. “It’s wall of wolf now.” After a slight pause, he says, “Well, it will be when I get more than one.”

Trillia, beside him, grins as she prepares to cast. “Don’t worry - the first time’s always difficult.” She casts and three more such wolves appear, engaging more of the runehounds. “See - that’s how it’s done!”

With four of the enemies engaged, the rest of the adventurers have a much easier time of it. Though Korm, Six, Gareth and Luna are all further wounded by the end of the fight, four of the runehounds are soon dead and the others fleeing with the four pseudonatural wolves in pursuit.

Once they are certain that the danger is past, the adventurers fall to healing. Luna gingerly tries a little bit of runehound (finding it to be surprisingly tasty) before joining the others.

“That’s a small sample of what we’re likely to find at the city,” says Trillia, as she’s heading back to her blankets.

“Great!” says Gareth. “Make sure you guys have a few extra teleports on hand tomorrow!”


* Fricking 30 Spot check!