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Message: <blockquote data-quote="shilsen" data-source="post: 3016359" data-attributes="member: 198">The (Short, and Not So Sweet) Return of DesroThe next morning, Gareth and the two druids, having spent the night at Coldflame Keep and Carosten Park respectively, arrive at Trillia’s simultaneously to find a small sack nailed to her door. When they give it to Trillia, she says she has no idea who it’s from and asks them to check it for unwelcome surprises and open it. Nameless detects no magic and Six opens the sack to find two boxes inside. As he opens the larger one, a magical explosion rocks him. After the smoke clears, Nameless says, “Must have had a spell to mask it. Sneaky!” After he heals Six, the latter checks to find a note and a map. The note reads, “This is Dala. My kidnappers want me to write this note to show that I am still alive. They say that you have something of theirs and if you want to see me alive, you will come and meet them here. They will put the location in another note. They have told me that you have returned safely to Sharn. Please save me. I am counting on you. Dala”“Great!” says Trillia, “I’d wondered why she didn’t show up yesterday to check on what happened with the Key. Now we know!”“Wait,” points out Six, “There’s more.”Below the first part of the note, in different writing, it says: “Wish I’d seen the looks on your faces when the glyph went off. Oh, come on - it was funny. And I’m sure you’re all fine. Seems you’ve been getting famous since we last met. I’ve been doing well too. We need to talk about a mutually beneficial proposition I have. I’m sending you a map, and Dala and I’ll be there at 6 pm. Don’t bring backup, since I’ll consider that a breach of trust. And don’t keep me waiting, since I might get bored and have to entertain myself with your little friend. In fact, I did get a little bored already, as you’ll see in the box. Consider it a sign of my seriousness. Your former acquaintance. Desro.”“Who’s Desro?” asks Korm.“One that got away,” says Nameless. “He’s actually the reason we met Gurr’khan. We were trying to collect the bounty on him and fought Desro right after he killed Gurr’khan’s apprentice and broke into the dimensional seal he guards. Broke Gareth’s sword and dimension doored away. He’s a cleric of the Traveler.”“Evil cleric,” adds Gareth.“I almost caught him,” says Luna. “Maybe this time…”“Oh, nice!” says Six, having opened the smaller box. It contains a little toe, evidently taken from a right foot. “I see this one needs killing,” says Korm grimly. “I wonder why he decided to kidnap Dala. Where does he want to meet us?”Six smoothes open the enclosed hand-drawn map. It begins with an entrance to the Ashblack Cogs and provides directions to a large chamber in a part of Khyber’s Gate. While the others are examining it, Nameless re-reads the note and notices something strange about the section from Dala. Some of the letters look slightly off-center.* After a few seconds of consideration, Nameless picks up a pattern. “Hey!” he says, “There’s a coded message in here.”“Huh?”“Dala stuck a coded message in here. Very smart of her.”“What does it say?”“Let’s see … it says … ‘Three of them. One cleric. One wizard. Be careful.’ I guess the cleric is Desro.”“Makes sense.”“Anyway,” continues Nameless, “I’d like some more information before we do anything. I’ll try to scry Dala once I have my spells ready.”While they are discussing the situation with Dala, Glauster brings in the special one-page report on the assassination attempt that has been published by the Korranberg Chronicle. The report confirms that there was a failed assassination attempt on King Boranel and Queen Aurala, as well as a planned terrorist attack on Scion’s Gate South. The two Scion’s Gates (one in Fairhaven and one in Wroat) are mirror images of each other and were built as a sign of solidarity between the two nations. Scion’s Gate South was destroyed during the War and has just been rebuilt. Queen Aurala was in Wroat for the opening, which many Aundairans had issues with, since her visit was seen as giving too much importance to Breland. According to the report, a group of militant Aundairans planned an assassination of both Aurala and Boranel, as well as the destruction of the rebuilt monument, hoping to cause further turmoil between the nations. The plan was reportedly hatched in Sharn, but a double agent planted by the King’s Citadel discovered the plans. As a result of this pre-information, the assassination attempts and the planned destruction of Scion’s Gate were foiled. Deneith Sentinel Marshals guarding Boranel had a major part in the action, including the well-known twins Lalia and Tasra from Sharn. The KC can’t confirm it, but it believes that the brave Citadel double agent was a half-orc named Raskalorn, who remained with the terrorists to keep feeding the Citadel and Sentinel Marshals info, and was regrettably killed by the terrorists during the operation. He is due to be buried with full military honors.The report also includes opinions from various relevant sources. Unsurprisingly, the Brelish sources are discussing the quality of their security service, the loyalty of the Brelish people (who are clearly too loyal to assassinate their ruler), and their protection of the Aundairan queen. Just as unsurprisingly, Aundairan sources are much less happy, ranging from comments that the Citadel should have revealed the plot as soon as detected without putting Aurala in danger, to suspicion that the Brelish made the plot seem more dangerous for political capital, to even an accusation or two that the entire thing was faked by Breland. After they have read the entire report, Six asks, “Wasn’t Raskalorn the guy we helped that Citadel guy capture?”“Talleon,” reminds Nameless. “And yes.”“So you really think he was a double agent?” asks Luna.“Not a chance,” says Gareth. “I’m guessing they’re just using the story to dispose of him neatly. He was probably dead by the time this occurred.”“I love the way things are done in your cities,” says Korm with a scowl. “At least in the Marches all you have to worry about is running into the odd hungry beast and one of the wilder tribes going on the warpath.”“Now you know why I want to go and live in a forest,” agrees Six. “At least when Gurr’khan returns, we may get a chance to see your Marches.”The next couple of hours are spent making preparations for the evening meeting with Desro. Nameless attempts a scrying from Trillia’s sanctum but all he sees in the ornate mirror is a dull gray haze. “She didn’t just resist it on reflex,” he explains. “It’s a protective spell. Probably a Private Sanctum.” Trillia, who has politely explained that she’ll be happy to provide some protective spells but will not be accompanying them (“The stories you guys relate are a lot funnier when one isn’t part of them”), says, “Which means someone there has access to or is capable of casting spells of the 5th valence.”“Yes,” says Nameless. “I’d like to go there a couple hours early and set an ambush or surprise them.”“Good idea,” says Six, “But for now, somebody help me stick Naxaliyen in a cart and put something over him. I’ve got to go make the taxidermist have a heart attack, and I don’t want to get arrested on the way.”***Luckily, Six isn’t, and a few hours later he is moving carefully through the tunnels near Khyber’s Gate, heading for the rendezvous point. The symbiont that Naxaliyen’s dolgaunt minion used now orbits his head, the mental link he needs to build to use it allowing him to see in the darkness just as Korm’s natural and Gareth’s divinely-granted abilities allow them to do.A dozen or so turns before the meeting location, Six notices a large “ANGELS” chalked on the tunnel wall, with smaller writing below it. The writing says, “Guess what…,” but before Six can read further there’s a loud explosion around him.The other Angels, moving through the tunnels some sixty feet behind him, come rushing up at the sound, spells and weapons at the ready. They see a somewhat battered Six standing next to the sign. “Look!” he says disgustedly.They read the inscription: “Guess what - I prepared Explosive Runes this morning. Man, I crack myself up sometimes! See you soon. Desro.”** “This joker really needs killing,” says Korm.“You’re telling me!” says Six, feeling the dents in his breastplate. After repairs are made, the group continues, Six moving ahead as before. A couple of turns after the ‘joke’ trap, the tunnels widen and become less neatly carved. Entering a large, empty chamber with more natural rock formations, Six casts around for tracks and picks up traces indicating that three human-sized creatures had passed through here.After telling the others what he found, Six heads on. A couple of turns before the supposed meeting area, he enters another such large chamber. As he crosses the entrance, a loud ringing sound begins. As the alarm ceases, Six hears the sounds of movement from around the corner of the sole tunnel exiting the chamber, on the opposite wall but to the side of the entrance. He quickly steps to the side and snaps out his chain, also noting the sound of hurrying feet from his allies.Moments later, two very recognizable figures enter from the exit tunnel. In the lead is Dala, this time wearing a very ornate set of heavy plate mail, which seems to sit very easily on her thin frame. As does the saw-toothed falchion she holds in her small hands. Behind her walks Warden Balan Cord of the Blackened Book, now garbed in a finely made dark robe with no decorations, though some variations in the shading indicate that there are symbols on the cloth. Six is instantly sure that both are disguises, but if so, they are flawless.Balan smiles at Six and then at the rest of the Angels, who come racing around the corridor. “Welcome, mighty heroes!” he says pleasantly. The voice too, like the suspected disguise, is perfect. Dala, standing before him with her falchion in a ready stance, says nothing, settling for an anticipatory, feral grin. Balan is about to continue, but Nameless forestalls him, casting a spell as soon as he sees the pair. A bead of flame leaps from the alienist’s hands and a fireball envelops the two. As startled and pained cries erupt, the bear Luna turns to give Nameless a dirty look, as if to say, “Wait - that’s my job!”The flames disappear to reveal an untouched Balan, though Dala looks burned and angry, and battle is promptly joined. Things go badly initially, as the Angels make some unwelcome discoveries. Six, leaping in and out to slash Balan across the face, discovers that he has some powerful protection against weapons, since the blow leaves only a scratch on his cheek. As his more martial allies rush forward to join the battle, Nameless is suddenly confronted by Desro, who steps out of the wall of the tunnel to confront him, greatsword at the ready. Nameless quickly backs away, says, “You're not running away this time,” and hits Desro with a dimensional anchor.But the most painful discovery is a positional one. Balan, ignoring Six, steps forward and pulls a small glass rod from his pouch. As he casts, sparks crackle along the rod and then shoot out as a large lightning bolt shoots down the tunnel that the Angels have conveniently arranged themselves in. Apparently Desro has some preplanned protection against it, since he is barely touched by the spell, while the others stagger from the pain. Gareth and Korm rush forward, both striking at Dala, who has moved to block their entrance. Gareth lands a powerful blow, but discovers that she has similar protection as Balan. The return blow is even worse, only his armor keeping him from being disemboweled***. Luckily for him, Korm**** responds with an equally powerful slash, and even with Dala’s protections, blood sprays across the chamber.Korm’s response buys the paladin time to back up out of the fight, letting a growling Luna squeeze past him to join Korm. She swipes powerfully at Dala, and tries to pull her into a bear-hug. To her (painful) surprise, Dala pivots away smoothly, slashing deeply into the reaching paws, again and again.*****With Dala landing powerful blows on the druids, one of which drops Korm in a bloody heap, Balan providing magical support and Desro assaulting Nameless with nobody to stop him, things look very dire for a moment. But then the situation changes in the blink of an eye, at least partly due to a miscalculation on the part of the enemies.Desro, though seeing Gareth use Kizmet to heal himself, decides to focus on dropping Nameless first and presses the attack. A deep slash staggers Nameless, but he manages to barely dodge away from the next one. Nevertheless, one more attack like the lightning bolt would probably kill the alienist. Luckily for him, Balan decides to help out Dala, who is being worn down despite her protections. He sends a scorching ray each into Luna and Korm, and then casts a quickened magic missile to drop Nameless.The five missiles zoom at Nameless, and then blink out a foot from him, intercepted by the shield he had cast while running up. This buys him just the time he needs and Nameless does what he excels at, summoning two pseudonatural wolves to assault Desro and Dala. Desro, caught off guard, cries out as fangs rip through his armor and then pull him off his feet. Which gives Gareth just the opportunity he needs. Calling to the Flame to strengthen his hand, he strikes down at the prone Desro. Kizmet blazes with silver fire as it strikes, literally cutting the evil cleric in two.“They’re too strong! We have to get out!” shouts Balan, the shock and fear evident in his voice. Dala, just having been bitten by the wolf and struck by Six, drives Luna back with another blow that almost drops the bear******, and nods. She steps back and Balan touches her shoulder, dimension dooring the two away.Six, his agility and defensive fighting having left him the only Angel completely unscathed, cautiously moves down the corridor Dala and Balan emerged from, checking if there’s any other danger. By the time the others join him, Six has found that the tunnel, after two more turns, ends at a half-open door leading into a central chamber with two doors leading off it, as well as a short corridor with another two doors.Over the next hour, the Angels search the area, making a number of interesting discoveries. The  first of the rooms is a well-furnished alchemist’s laboratory, and Nameless takes the opportunity to collect a few costly reagents and other useful materials. The second room is a combination study and bedroom, simply furnished but comfortable. A chest at the foot of the unmade bed contains a locked, heavy metal box, which Six opens with a key found on Desro. It contains a small folding altar to the Traveler, along with valuable incense, as well as material components and foci for certain divination spells. The Angels recognize it from their first encounter with Desro.A desk in the room seems to contain nothing of real importance, but Six discovers a small sliding panel. Behind it is a bag that contains 200 galifars, a scroll of spells, an ivory wand, as well as a heavy gold ring with a small dragonshard set into it.Having identified the spells as disguise self, invisibility and fly, Nameless says, “Looks like a little stash for escape purposes.”“Fat lot of good it did him,” smirks Gareth.Moving on to the corridor, the group finds the first door there to open into a similar room, though this one is much more ornate and comfortable than the first one. It contains two beds, both immaculately made and hardly seeming used. There are also a couple of closets that contain collections of fine clothing (one for a man and one for a woman) in them. Six holds up a particularly beautiful—and revealing—glamerweave gown. “Anybody else think Luna would look pretty in this?” The druid, still in bear form, settles for a baleful glare and a growl in response.The desk in this room contains no hidden compartments that Six can find. Korm, however, finds a crumpled note in the wastebasket, in Desro’s handwriting. It says, without an opening salutation, “I’ve found a job that might be our best one yet. Remember those idiots I told you I fought at the Seal? Well - let’s just say that I’m planning another, much more profitable, run-in. Meet me at the usual place in two days. D.” “Looks like Desro hired those two in Sharn,” comments Gareth. “I wonder who they are.”“That wizard was powerful,” adds Nameless. “Somebody or other in the underworld would know them. But we have other ways of locating them.” He holds up a vial filled with the blood that the fake Dala spilled during the fight.“Where’s the real Dala, is the question,” says Korm.The last room in the area answers it. This one is a torture chamber, its walls lined with objects and implements built specifically to cause pain, while keeping the unfortunate recipients alive. They are clearly quite old, but most are in good repair. What immediately catches the Angels’ attention is the form against the far wall. The naked figure of Dala hangs by her wrists from manacles dangling from long chains. For a moment, the watchers think that she is covered in blood, but then realize that they are seeing her muscles and organs laid bare.“They skinned her!”As they slowly move forward towards the gory mess that was recently a human being, Nameless asks, “She’s not alive, is she?”Korm gently lifts Dala’s face, to reveal her throat and display a slash that almost decapitated her. He looks down at the volume of blood on the ground and the state of the flesh around the cut. “No, she’s not. But she was when they skinned her.”* In seven years of gaming, I’m the only DM that I’ve seen using Decipher Script at all.** Yes, I owe Varsuuvius for this one.*** Crit on first attack. Gareth took 82 pts of damage in that round.**** And a crit in return***** Close-Quarters Fighting****** Took 120 pts of damage in the fight</blockquote>

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