They continue their search of the library and find a secret door which apparently contains a small fragment of a pass-phrase, similar to the one found by the well room. Tania is closest to working out the meaning, but doesn’t have the confidence to push her point of view, especially in the light of Trajan’s insistence that it must be something different. After much discussion they decide that they will have to return to Bridlerest and hire sages to do some research for them. They leave the site, and rendezvous with Count Noliss at his hunting lodge once more, where they bring him up to date with their discoveries (including the news of a blood relative who was once court wizard to the king) before heading off to Bridlerest.
A week passes before they return, with their coffers slightly lighter but with more information about the history of the kings of Tanor, and in particular the kings advisor Severi. Tying things together they realise that the pass-phrase for the impenetrable doors must be “the throne belongs to Severi” spoken in infernal. An odd sentiment for the kings advisor. It seems certain that the final secret they are after lies behind the sealed doors, and these words may give them entry.
They bypass the pit and range themselves around the huge doors into the last remaining uncharted part of the dungeon. They cast their preparatory spells – inertial armour, protection from evil, displacement. Zherinda casts shield other upon Trajan. The phrase is spoken and the doors disperse into a foul smelling mist.
The room beyond is filled with darkness, dimly lit from below by a pulsing evil red light emanating from a pentagram on the floor. As the flood of evil pours forth, numbing their senses and slowing their reactions, a tall, cadaverous figure strides forth, swinging a blade of pure darkness. Swinging wildly, putting all the power it can into the blow and channelling it’s evil essence at the same time it lands a might critical hit upon Trajan; the blade passes straight through his armour as if it wasn’t there but tears into his shoulder. Zherinda cries out in agony as the “shield other” spell transfers much of the damage to her (full power attack, smite good, critical hit – did something like 80 pts damage in the one blow).
The party surge into action. Zherinda desperately heals herself, Trajan unleashes a withering flurry of attacks, M’ir uses his concussion wand to good effect once again and each of the others targets the huge figure.
The fight is all over within twelve seconds. If they hadn’t prepared themselves magically for the battle it would have gone much more badly, but together they were able to defend themselves against the slashing blade of the one-time prince and his wicked piercing tongue which thrashed around at them, while cutting him down.
Ironically, he turned out to be one of the least dangerous fights they had experienced down here!
The darkness slowly dissipates, as does the red glow of the pentagram as the curse is lifted from the keep and its environs. On the finger of the fallen prince they can see a bright gold signet ring, of the kind which signifies royal blood – the token they were hired to find! The black sword still lies where it feel on the floor. Anne-Marie attempts to pick it up and feels her life-force suppressed by its evil nature. She attempts to shatter it with Sunrazor which she recently obtained but nothing other than living flesh seems to have any effect on the composition of the sword – although it lies on the ground, no other metal or stone can touch it. Carefully it is wrapped in hides and placed in a sack.
Towards the back of the room they can see the remains of a long dead robed human, cloven in twain although his thick velvet cloak still seems in pristine condition. Next to him is a small wondrous satchel whose insides seem far larger than the outside, which contains the wizards own journal and a few odds and ends.
Severi’s own journal is revealing:
/43 Ah, the time is drawing nigh I can sense it today I cast my most potent spells into the prince, bending him even further to the control of my superior mind his body had a difficult time handling the raw power but I was able to stave off disaster using the skills taught me by the fiends I’ve been contacting recently. Soon the prince is ready to become king in name at least. My patience has at last borne fruit. Twenty long years have I waited. Sixteen long years after I touched the unborn mind of our dear prince, making him mine. Now he will grant me a kingdom.
/53 I received a letter from my fool brother Bediss today, making sure everythings running smoothly he says. Bay! Bediss is nothing more than a walking rock with a sword strapped on. The great idiot thinks the safekeeping of the prince is his responsibility. Won’t he love it when he learns the truth? I can’t wait to see the look on his face and I’ll tell him “this is what you allowed me to do, sweet brother, thank you for your trust” as I send him to the executioners block. “But the boar will charge forever” he’ll say, because that is what he always says “The boar will charge forever”. Bay! Even I couldn’t think of a more moronic saying! Damn this boar of ours. After I ascend the throne I’ll change my symbol to something else, perhaps a horned serpent. The rest of my noble family would do well to replace their boars as well if they don’t want to join Bediss in the afterlife.
/60 – that rotund, over-pious lump of a cleric is starting to annoy me. He keeps watching me and trying to listen when I enter the princes cell. He’s outlived his usefulness. I believe it is time to put my princes power to the test.
/61 – Admirable! Septimus is no more and no one suspects “noble” Severi or his highness!
/71 – Damnation. Everything has gone awry and its up to me to sort it out. The prince must be unstable; he went on some bloody rampage tonight and butchered every man woman and child he could find. I don’t doubt that I will be able to reassert control, but why must things always be difficult?
So, the prince was turned to evil by the wizard Severi who was supposed to be his guardian. Not great news for Baron Noliss von Purry, but compared to the news that there was indeed a prince of the royal line who stayed in the old family keep, it is small potatoes.
They leave, relieved to be back into the clear open air again. Only a few minutes after setting off back towards the hunting lodge they meet the Baron himself, and prepare to give him all the news…
