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Message: <blockquote data-quote="A2Z" data-source="post: 172143" data-attributes="member: 244">The Longest Night - Act TwoWell, it took me awhile but here's the update.Crap! We Found Her…The small tunnel opens into a far larger sewer and a far greater rush of water. Vallan, having a slight phobia of water, is very uncomfortable down here. A small ledge runs along both sides of the sewer and a rickety wooden plank bridges the gap. The group decides to cross over and Ethradan wisely suggests they go one at a time. Even so, when the dwarf's turn comes the plank bends alarmingly but does manage to hold. Gathered at the other side, the group follows the flow of water. As the other direction is barred by a heavy metal grate.A short while later they come to an area of the sewer were two opposing flows of water create a whirlpool roaring in the center of the tunnel. A small drain leads out to the north. It is far too small for anyone to have passed through. On the south side of the wall another tunnel leads to a heavy stone door. It seems to be the only exit excepting the way they came from. The door is not locked and Lincon can't hear anything on the other side so the group decides to enter.A short hallway leads to a rather large room. One wall is covered with a tapestry and a there is a crate with papers on it in the middle of the room. That's all they have time to notice before they suddenly feel themselves bound with powerful magic! Stepping out from behind the tapestry is their quarry Alexia. She apologizes for her uncle getting them involved and warns them they're better off staying out of the whole thing.Even bound the heroes attempt to get information from the girl. She is fairly closed mouthed about her plans but she does reveal that she believes the coven was framed and the guilty, the entire city in her eyes, must be punished. Before leaving she asks the party to give her apology to her uncle, and with that she leaves through the sewer entrance, sealing it behind here with a spell.(I made a bit of a mistake when they encountered Alexia. When they enter the room the characters are supposed to make a Will save to counter Alexia's hold person spell. The DC for her spell should have been 15 but in the book it's marked as 21. I'm pretty sure that's a mistake. I couldn't find any reason for it to be that high. Oh well, it's important to the story that they don't beat her here. And she is a powerful witch. If it had come to a fight she would very likely kill the whole party and I really didn't want that.)Left behind, unable to move the group try’s to think of a way to free themselves. Before long however, the spell seems to fade on it’s own. A short time later they’re free and in the process of searching the room. There is another exit from the room but it’s sealed with a heavy iron portcullis. Ethradan however, manages to find a secret tunnel that lead around the gate and into the catacombs.While he was searching for this the rest of the group found some of Alexia’s possessions. Including a heavy iron key, a couple of scrolls (invisibility and lightning bolt) as well as Alexia’s notes. Which prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that she is indeed responsible for the grave robberies. The pages also contain some interesting references to an item called, the Witchfire.After a thorough search of the room the group sets out to explore the catacombs and to hopefully find a way out of the tunnels.The CatacombsLeaving Alexia’s hideout the group wanders for a bit before coming to a locked door. Beyond the door Lincon can hear a shuffling sound. There’s defiantly something behind there. Vallan, having taken the key from the hideout decides to try it on the door. It works, the door opens and the party readies they’re weapons. Leading the rest Vallan rushes in brandishing his axe and finds himself face to face with two walking bodies with weird sigils marked on their skin. That’s all they have time too notice before battle is joined.While Vallan, Ethradan and Linc move in for melee Mericus stands back to cover them with his spells. These walking dead prove to be far stronger than the ones from the witch’s tomb and the party takes a couple of hits before Vallan dispatches one and then Linc manages to get behind the other and finish it off. Examining the bodies they find little of any value although one of the bodies does wear a fine silver ring.Leaving the room the party continues down the corridors. Many twists and turns later the group finale enters a domed room, well decorated with finery, inside which lies a sarcophagus. On the lid are carved the words “Temptation Begets Darkness Eternal”.Carved into the side of the coffin is the name of the occupant. “Father Edric Samos VII”. Vallan suggests moving on and Ethradan and Mericus agree with him. Lincon on the other hand decides too take a closer look at the gold inlay on the tomb. Taking out his knife he begins to scratch at it, and if promptly struck blind. No clap of thunder or booming voice, one minute he can see and the next he’s walking into walls. While Ethradan and Mericus have some sympathy for him Vallan laughs and tells him it’s his own fault.With Mericus leading Lincon, the group continues to explore the tunnels. Eventually they come to another locked door. While he may be blind at least Lincon can still listen at the door. He does so and hears movement in the room. Taking positions as before the group tries the iron key again and is pleased to see it work. Three more bodies are there to greet them. With Lincon incapacitated the fight proves a little tougher, however the party manages to overcome their opponents. Again there is little treasure to be found and the group decides to move on.Their wandering eventually brings them to a magically lit room with a statue of a man standing on a dais. The marble dais reads, “Exarch Ulbrecht Drang, Ascended 1042”. (The Ascended are kind of like saints in the Iron Kingdoms setting) This appears to be a shrine dedicated to the Ascendant. After looking around a bit, and after Vallan convinces Lincon to not loot the place (apparently he hasn’t learned his lesson. He’s still blind by the way) they decide to move on.The shrine leads to a hall lined with rotting doors. Peeking into one of the rooms they find it lined with alcoves that hold old bones. In one of the alcoves lies a plaque that read “PLAGUE”. Vallan remarks that these must be the catacombs that the book they took from Alexia’s room mentioned.Moving down the hall they find that the last door is spiked shut. Listening at the door again Lincon hears movement. Unfortunately whatever’s behind the door has also heard them. It begins to pound against the door. Apparently the door was locked for a reason. Taking up positions, with Lincon at the rear they wait for it to break through the door. Eventually it does and the party is confronted with yet another body. This one however is larger and far more threatening than the others were. As the fight progresses those in the front, Vallan and Ethradan are almost overwhelmed a couple of times. Ethradan takes a serious hit but manages to keep fighting. Lincon decides to try his hand at blind fighting and makes a surprisingly good show of it. A few short rounds later the ravening skeleton is nothing but a pile of bones and the heroes are relatively none the worse for wear.The hallway ends in a room that is split by a chasm at the base of which runs an underground river. A wooden plank bridges the gap. Instead of going on the group decides to head back and explore a tunnel they had passed by earlier. Once there they are confronted by another locked door. And, same as the other two it is unlocked by the iron key. Even after their other battles they manage to make short work of the two walking corpses that attack them. Once again nothing of value is found.Having seen most of the catacombs there’s only one path left to the group. Heading back to the underground river they keep looking for an exit from the tunnels. Hopefully before Alexia’s plans come to fruition.(To be continued)</blockquote>

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