"I imagine we’ll spend the next couple of hours sorting through these goods. That was an ingenious system you set up for destroying the half kuo-toa and half dragon spawn in the pool. I'm glad we have a pause in the action!"
Churchkey praised Barret for his creative use of spear fishing and grappling hook handling (a grappling hook, I might add, that becomes very handy later) and then the paladin took a moment to catch his breath.
The party was miffed. No I mean really miffed. Visions of grandeur of carrying a giant head of a dragon into the cauldron would have been amazing to say the least, but it seemed to be fleeting now. That was their second drake they'd encountered and let escape. Moral was low, and a lot of party members disconcerted.
The Vanguard was recently joined by Shensen, a Drow elf druid and her two cohorts, Falio and Fellion and after gathering up a mass of treasure from the giant beast that had turned tail, and winked out of existence; the party had a quick huddle.
A lot of folks wanted to rest and replenish their resources, not quite certain of what lay ahead, nor how long it would take to complete their final objective of trying to find Splintershield.
Shensen, however, brought up the dangerous possibility the kuo toa would be back and probably in a much greater quantity. They've been known to always try and reclaim their territories, and could make a return as soon as the very next day. The party pressed on. They were low on resources, and still had entire areas of the underdark unexplored.
They started with some large double doors that they left untouched near the intersection where they fought the black dragon. Barret checked for traps, and Churchkey concentrated to see if anything unholy awaited them on the other side.
Convinced it was safe, the Vanguard pressed open the doors that led into a room with an altar and a few statues inside. The statues appeared to be courageous kuo-toa figures struck in various poses. Some were crouching holding a spear and shield; others were wielding swords and nets. All of them had a noticeable grievous wound on them.
The altar had two heavy incense burners, and a large crab claw jutting up from the middle of it.
Barret lobbed his spear at a statue that crashed off its pedestal and lay there, unmoving. Then the spear magically reappeared in his hand.
Churchkey decided it was secure to step in, and the floor vanished beneath his feet.
He luckily avoided the spikes waiting at the bottom, save for some scratches on his armor, but realized he wasn't alone in the large pit.
Transparent shadows swirled and came into shape. A floating hooded figure reached out an incorporeal hand to try and drain the very soul of the paladin.
The party dropped a rope, and valiantly tried to get Churchkey out of harms way.
Bolgrim pushed himself forward, sneered at the wraith, and lit up the pit in a bright beam of light, instantly obliterating the undead spirit.
After getting Churchkey out, Barret reset the trap and stabilized it so the party could walk safely into the room.
Donner and Bolgrim went to the altar in the back, and the monk decided the burners, cast of gold, and would be worth something. Bolgrim decided the crab claw alter had to go and a few strokes from his hammer toppled the altar, and probably awoke the rest of the denizens in the underdark.
Pepper realized the statues were stuffed, and they were heroes. One part of the room had the male warriors and the other parts were females who had died giving birth to the abominations they'd encountered before. All were considered honored heroes to the Kuo toa.
The party decided to head to the next area. After returning to the earlier chamber with the massive statue and tiered floors, they climbed some stairs to the next area. Pepper figured out a drawbridge mechanism that allowed the Vanguard to get across to the double doors.
After carefully proceeding inward, the party turned left and noticed fragments and debris littering the floor in this lozenge shaped room (yes, lozenge is a shape, sort of pill like). Shensen peered into the room trying to discern if anything else was stirring about. Barret started to cautiously sweep the floor as he started to clear a path to another door. The party waited patiently as the rogue slowly accessed the door. Silently he peered inside the chamber.
Zenith stood motionless atop his throne of patched flesh. He had a large dwarven war axe within reach, and in his right hand he clutched a glowing spherical object. With one fluid motion, the seemingly slow dwarf pitched the orb. It shattered and he was soon lunging towards the door near Barret.
Barret simply closed the door.
Pepper died.
The figure appeared to the Vanguard only after mortally wounding Pepper in the back ranks. He lay motionless on the floor, with a kuo toa assassin deftly withdrawing his poison encrusted blade.
Meanwhile, Barret and the Drow elf druid, attempted to stop the now raging dwarf from leaving his confines. Barret stopped the handles with his grappling hook (told ya!); while Shensen pushed against the door with whatever strength she could muster. A large axe thudded against the door, which was starting to slowly burst.
Connel swiftly healed the seemingly lifeless Pepper who stirred wearily from the brink of death. The Vangaurd, along with Fellion and Fario, surrounded the killer kuo toa and blocked off any attempts for it to escape.
Nearby the blade of the war axe came down heavily and nearly destroyed the grappling hook to which Barret responded by interleaving a crowbar into the handles. The druid kept bracing herself against the failing door.
The assassin tumbled from the side of the wall, and amazingly landed away from the pursuers attempting to run out the way the Vanguard came in. The party quickly surrounded the kuo toa and again it tried to escape. But try as it might, the assassin couldn’t outrun the monk or the barbarian. Donner unleashed some punches, but Connel simply eviscerated the frog man with the strength of Kord and his massive sword.
Again the war axe cleaved down into the growing fissure in the door. The crow bar looked like it was about the finally be demolished. Barret fired his hand crossbow in retaliation through the gap, landing a bolt into Zenith, who was hit but seemingly impervious.
“We could use some help over here!” barked Barret, as he ascended effortlessly with the aid of his boots, arranging himself over the failing doorway. Shensen started casting a spell to call upon some assistance. The Vanguard hustled over as the doorway collapsed.
Above the doorway, Zenith Splintershield’s father appeared soothingly speaking, “You don’t want to do this.” Barret’s use of his cap of disguise seemed to momentarily faze the raging dwarf. He said nothing for a quick moment, and then pressed his onslaught.
Churchkey felt the dwarf wasn’t alone, but whatever was in the room with the dwarf, was hidden to the naked eye of the Vanguard. Some party members tried to go in and surround Zenith, but were stopped by invisible foes near the dwarf. Arrows flung from their bow, swords clashed against metal armor, and protection and healing spells went off. The infamous summoned jaguar made a return and magically appeared behind Zenith. Slowly the Vanguard got into the room, and surrounded the dwarf. There were bodies hanging from chains in the ceiling and a large circular symbol radiating magic in the middle of the room. Unseen stalkers wisped about and hindered the party.
Combat ensued and the invisible stalkers were slowly vanquished and the party started to press the advantage.
Zenith was wreaking havoc in his vicinity, dropping the jaguar effortlessly and not seeming himself, was condemning the party while unleashing terrifying blows to the surrounding party members. As folks mustered around, trying to press for a flank or move out of harms way, his war axe spun around and mortally caught Fario, who crumpled to the floor struck in such a way that no healing or bandage would save him.
Finally, Zenith collapsed. His eyes fluttered to awareness. He was aware of his surroundings, but seemingly not himself. His voice was low and monotone, nonthreatening yet uncaring at the same time. Churchkey tried to make the defeated dwarf confess about the use of his surroundings. Pepper cast a spell to help safeguard the body of the fallen Fario.
The Vanguard learned there was a portal in the room, where Zenith was to take the party to kill them. Not certain where exactly it went and seeing as the party was anxious to leave, the made their exit to the surface, stopping along the way to grab the two prisoners they encountered near the entrance. Churchkey proclaimed that if any of them try to escape, kill them.
Shensun helped situate a good area to make camp before continuing out into the wilderness and making their way back to the Cauldron. The party went to bed that night, and not long after the first watch, Fellion heard an unnatural sound and shushed the low conversation. The Vanguard was slowly roused from their slumber.
One of the prisoner’s rope bonds lay in an empty spot. Looking up at the ceiling, a large rat was trying to make an escape. The party made quick work of the wererat, and finished sleeping for the night.
The Vanguard arrived at last to the Cauldron. The half orc guards are a common sight and the party has to pay a tax upon reentrance. Also, with the aid of Barret’s hat, the drow elf was easily disguised and could accompany the party. They learn along with the half orc guard regiments that patrol the street, a new face has shown up at the Church of Saint Cuthbert.
The party bathes and return to the Cusp of the Sunrise and claimed their reward. They are greeted by Vhalantru who has graciously put up Celest and the elder Splintershield at his private manor. The Vanguard tries to include the cost of raising Fario... Vhalantru puts in 4,000 of his own cash to aid in the return of their cohort’s life, The rest of the party chip in and gather up enough coinage to raise is dead body.
It doesn't take long to understand what has happened in the few weeks since the Vanguard left on their journey. Old copies of the Broadsides dot the sides of buildings and...well... the attitude of the population is quite prominent. The merchant class is furious at the tax rates. Embril is no longer in Cauldron (Away doing work for WeeJas herself). Reconstruction of the poor districts is improving but the wealthy are taking it on the jaw in regard to import and export costs. The Stormblades are not in town but are out on some mission by the new acting head of the church of St. Cuthbert.
The party begins some down-time, training, resting and drinking in the local news.
It is here the Vanguard, now seemingly more powerful than before, decide where to venture next.
1 comment:
Thanks for covering the spots where I was tempted to write
"And here is where Bolgrim went to the privvy"
Or I was stuffing my face with rice puddin'..
Thanks Bill!
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