Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="airwalkrr" data-source="post: 5142219" data-attributes="member: 12460">As Kal-fen sits back to think on what he knows of Maure Castle and it's relevance to his studies of the arcane. A few morsels of information come readily to mind, being as learned as he is.[sblock=Kal-fen]What Mellary told you about Castle Maure is essentially true, although she may not know the whole story. The great archmage Mordenkainen's exploits in the dungeons below the castle are well-known in most magical circles and you have come across references to it in both studies and recited tales. One particular aspect that seems to be missing from Mellary's story is how the archmage gained entry to the dungeons, an aspect of which you are fortunately aware. You once read a missive from a powerful, yet insane mage known as only as Erac's Cousin to his companion Ayelerach, said to be a paladin. The missive described the sense of betrayal Erac's Cousin felt after being enslaved by a demon prince and his prayers to his god falling on deaf ears. He said it was how Mordenkainen must have felt when Bigby allowed him to be turned to stone beneath Castle Maure. This was an interesting enough reference, but it is what Erac's Cousin said to remind his friend of the tale that now stands out in your mind. Erac's Cousin said in the letter "You remember Maure Castle don't you? That fantastic adventure that began when they couldn't even open the door! It was a good thing they had the Silver Key of Portals with them."What Mellary said of the place being founded by Suel mages is true enough. The site is legendary as a place where expatriates from the Suel Imperium continued to practice their dark magics long after the fall of their mighty empire. It is rumored in many magical circles that despite appearances, the dungeons beneath the castle have hardly been fully explored. Mordenkainen's expedition is, in fact, the only success story you know of, and (perhaps wild) tales say that there are as many as EIGHT separate levels beneath the dungeon while most reports credit Mordenkainen with exploring only THREE. Common consensus is that no matter how many levels there are, Mordenkainen was hardly thorough.In relation to the society Mellary represents, you have heard rumors and speculation that might indicate her true loyalties, but nothing definite. Whatever it is can't be a purely magical society, otherwise you would have at least heard of it, no matter how secret. What you do know are stories of magical items and arcane relics filtering steadily out of the Abbor-Alz Mountains from an undisclosed location twenty-five years ago that suddenly stopped. (Greyhawk's Guild of Wizardry allegedly has some of these items on display in a private museum collection.) The source of these items is hard to substantiate since they were always fenced and funds for them were always laundered. But it hints at a secret society somehow dedicated to finding old artifacts in places long-thought abandoned, cursed, or haunted.[/sblock]Mellary lets your group discuss the matter amongst yourselves for a few minutes before speaking. It seems she was expecting this. After a brief lull falls over the room again, she smiles widely and speaks."Well I can't say that I expected you to take me quite at my word. But I did want to whet your appetite for adventure and it seems I've done just that."Mapata, correct?" she says turning to the half-orc. It is really more of a statement than a question. "Perhaps I can ease your fears a little by saying this. I do not seek the secrets to the Invoked Devastation. In the first place it's actually quite laughable to presume that Kerfane ever knew them himself. If that were so I imagine he'd be alive today, either that or his downfall would have left an epic amount of collateral damage. Second, I seek knowledge not for power, but for knowledge's sake alone. I am not a wizard or magician or performer of tricks. I don't even know how to cast a simple cantrip. Such a thing is common among those in my organization. While I admit a few may dabble in the arcane we are not the Circle of the Eight, the Guild of Wizardry, or even the Warlocks of Rookroost, Besides, if I belonged to a group that was even on the cusp of using a spell as powerful as that crafted by the Suel Imperium arcanists eons ago, I really wouldn't need you, would I? You may be talented, but don't flatter yourself too much. Magic the likes of the Ancient Suel has not been seen since their empire was turned to dust. I strongly doubt that any of the wizards who escaped even managed to take such enchanting secrets with them. If they had they would have surely been discovered by now."She also gives a slight nod to Kal-fen, as if thanking him for his support when he speaks in seeming favor of the expedition."And I do thank you for understanding that I cannot reveal everything about my organization at this moment. The fact that I'm even mentioning to you that I belong to a secret society is an act of good faith on my part. Perhaps I will be able to reveal more after you have returned with Kerfane's journals. Naturally if you see anything within them that you find questionable I will do my best to allay those fears. But ultimately what I do isn't important because you will be in control of the journals before you ever have to hand them over to me. In fact, as much as I would like to see them, I would be content at the very least if you destroy them should you in fact find them and decide for some reason I am not worthy to received them. Then at least they wouldn't fall into the wrong hands. It wouldn't curry any favor with those whom I associate with of course, but that's the cost of doing business."</blockquote>

Verification