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Message: <blockquote data-quote="(contact)" data-source="post: 444613" data-attributes="member: 41">New and Improved with Twice the Quick Thinking!Previously:  Jespo and Pris put their conniving heads together, and make the suggestion to the evil wizard that the potion they are handing him will repair his mangled hands.  But the joke is on Crynnek, and Zinvellon’s number one man greedily drinks a potion of truth, then proceeds to rat out the entire organization:Twenty One:  The truth shall set you free.(or, most evil arises from the neglect of the powerful, but some arises from good old fashioned hard work.)Iuz, Oerth’s demi-power of tyranny and cruelty, maintains two groups devoted to overseeing his wars and personal agenda:  The Greater and Lesser Boneheart.  Both organizations are comprised of powerful classed individuals, and they share one common motivation:  Total fear of their master, combined with total distrust for one another.Zinvellon is a member of the Greater Boneheart, and is known to be in the favor of Iuz.  When Crockport fell to the forces of the Old One, Zinvellon was given it to ‘administer’ - - some would say ‘bleed dry’.    Through no fault of his own, Zinvellon lost Crockport when the Crook of Rao banished the fiends from Greyhawk.  Although this sort of black mark against his name should have been the end of Zinvellon, Iuz has given him one more chance.  Zinvellon was put in charge of the activities in the Temple of Elemental Evil.  Activities, as we shall see, that are critical to the success of Iuz’s plan of war.The fact that such an important mission was entrusted to such an unreliable agent has not been lost on the other members of the Boneheart.  Aletha, Knull and Jumper, Zinvellon’s “betters” in the Greater Boneheart covet Zinvellon’s assignment and resent him for it.The Temple has formed an unholy alliance of the following faiths:  Iuzian, led by Zinvellon; those worshiping Grazz’t, a powerful demon lord, led by one Malcom; the priesthood of  Evil Elemental Water, led by Elwin; Zuggtomoy, the Fungal Queen, represented by the compost formerly known as Anschel; and the preistesshood of Lloth, the spider queen, led by a drow elf known as Laera.These other faiths have thrown in lots with Iuz for one reason and one reason only:  the Old One intends to undo the work of the Crook of Rao.  The Temple itself is the key component to this plan, as it sits in a place where an extremely rare conjunction of magical Ley Lines make it a powerful ritual foci in and of itself. In addition, there is a gate to the Abyss within the depths of the Temple dungeons.  The priesthood of Iuz has had some small success turning back the work of Rao, and this is what is indicated by the expanding red circles on the map found in Anschell’s possession.  The forces of Evil have managed to create an expanding circle against the Crook of Rao, and its effect.   Mystery solved:  it is the Abyssal presence growing in the Temple that has allowed fiends like the Lady Marie to operate in Knulb and Verbobonc.The Great Ritual, wherein some twenty score children and youths were to be sacrificed, was for the purpose of further extending, and making permanent the area within which fiends can operate.  By rescuing the children, our heroes have dealt Iuz’s war plans a potentially fatal blow.  Without fiends, Iuz cannot hold any territory he might take.  But with demonic help, it is possible that all of Furyondy might fall.Crynnek is convinced that Zinvellon will attempt to acquire the necessary sacrifices from some other means, and that he will go through with the ritual at all costs.  Zinvellon, you see, is opposed by his left-hand-man, a priest by the name of Helthrax. Helthrax covets Zinvellon’s place, and would do anything to supplant him.  Should the Old One catch wind of the troubles the Temple is having, Zinvellon could count his remaining days on one hand. Helthrax is supported primarily by the Armanites, who were summoned and bound by him.To complicate Zinvellon’s position, he and Anna (his sorcerer Alu-Fiend) are involved in complex negotiations with demons on the other side of the Abyssal gate.  Those who have trifled in such matters can tell you:  the first mistake will most likely be fatal.  Zinvellon simply cannot afford to have his resources divided at such a critical juncture.  It seems our heroes have become more than just a thorn in his paw.Crynnek states that Knulb and Hommlet were not to fall, according to the plan.  It was the actions of the PCs that forced Zinvellon to tip his hand in the region, and attract attention.  He had hoped that the Temple’s presence would remain a secret until the Great Ritual was completed.  Now, with the death of Lady Marie, who was to have the gates opened to the Evil army, the conquest of Verbobonc has failed.  Zinvellon has decided to dig in, and ride out the storm.  He has sealed (via cave-in) all exits other than the Temple’s front doors, heavily guarded the ground floor, and warded the entrance with an antipathy effect.Well, you know what they say:  the best laid plans of abyssal rats and men . . .Before his immanent execution in the name of all that is Right and True, Crynnek is compelled to point out to the heroes where all of the temple denizens reside.  Of particular concern is determining which areas are occupied by which priesthoods, and where their leaders lair.  The types and homes of all the remaining demons are set forth.  The party learns that the following Abyssal monstrosities yet await them:  An Alu-Fiend, a Nabassu, four Armanites, two score (or more) Dretches, and another Babu.  The PCs now have to wade through these fiends, kill all the high priests in the Temple, and do it in such a way that they can’t get any help in time to make the Great Ritual.  Just another day at the office. If your office has a permanent gate to the worst place in the entire multiverse in its basement.</blockquote>

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