Adventure Log 4

Fireday, 6th of Asti'lor (Early Fall)

Prepared & Ready

• After a week back in Oakhurst stocking up on supplies and fire protection, the party set off back towards Mount Rolnith, which had appeared to have calmed down. It was a overcast and cool day with moderate winds.
• Met a group of azer outside the cavern entrance into the mountain, including the brass armour-wearing leader who indicated that there are klaken (fire lobster folk) waiting inside the cavern entrance.
• As Lugh cast a spell the klaken rushed forward and were summarily wiped out by a Katar lightning bolt.
• Continued into the mountain only to find out that most of Vanifer's forces had been wiped out by the forces of Imolius the efreeti.
• Proceeded into the main forge area and fought a group of fire imps and salamanders that were there guarding the levitating disc that led down further into the mountain. These were easily dispatched.
• Everyone stepped onto a levitating disc and calling out "Ember". The disc descended down until it hovered about ten feet above a lake of magma. Basalt pillars acted like stepping stones rising from the magma and led to a tunnel and ledge off to the side of the magma filled cavern.
• Again attacked by fire imps, before a fire elemental appeared in the middle of the levitating disc, but again these were dispatched and party crossed from the levitating disc, across the basalt pillars to the ledge and tunnel leading back into the mountain.
• Came to a chamber with many entrances and a raised area off to the side. A pillar of flame spewed upwards. The azer led the way out and up onto the raised area behind a column of stone and through a secret door into another tunnel and chamber. This chamber had a raised dome-like floor and noxious gas could be seen near the roof. Skirting the chamber wall this was avoided and the party continued through another tunnel and came to a metal walkway over a river of magma. Fire imps attacked once more while the party was crossing the bridge but again proved little in the way of resistance.
• Finally arrived in an even larger cavern, with a stone walkway leading out into the lake of magma. Rising from the magma at the end of the stone walkway was a massive stone figure, weeping lava from its eyes - The Weeping Colossus', a portal of fire and ash forming above its head.
• Also standing on the walkway was a large efreeti (Imolius), glaive in hand, standing over the fallen form of a large red dragon, impaled on a spear of black stone. Minions of the efreeti littered the walkway from the entrance, consisting of magmamen, fire imps, fire snakes and salamanders.
• Lugh strode forward, and using his magical lute, cast a spell. Magical bolts in the shape of musical notes streamed forth, decimating a large chunk of Imolius' forces.
• Imolius instructed one of his henchmen (Bastian), who was bearing a red gauntlet, to keep performing the ritual using the key, (the dagger Tinderstrike), and that Imolius himself would take care of the intruders.
• Katar fey-stepped forward and dispatched Bastian, who half fell into the magma, the dagger falling from sight.
• The party, along with the azer, fought the remaining forces with Mathias and two of the azer fighting Imolius.
• Eventually Imolius was weakened and Lugh destroyed him with a bolt of lightning from the lute. The rest of the minions fled into the magma.
• After a brief conversation, Lugh lifted Todd magically into the air and Tinderstrike was thrown through the portal. Magical wind and flames then sucked all the fire minions, including the azer back through the portal from all throughout the mountain and the rumbling of the mountain subsided. The portal was closed saving the nearby towns and temples.
• Returned back up to the main forge area before magical fire protection wore out. Mathias took the red gauntlet, that he had been seeking the entire time.

Asti'lor

The Return

7th of Asti'lor

• The party returned to Oakhurst via the White Raven monastery. There they informed the monks of what had transpired at Mount Rolnith, and that the great evil beneath the mountain had been vanquished. The monks were very grateful for this news, and offered the heroes a meal and a warm bed for the night, but they were intent to return to Oakhurst as quickly as possible and continued on their way.
• Entering Oakhurst, news of the heroes return quickly spread and they were regaled throughout the night as heroes at the Old Boars Head Inn.
• Finally arrived back at the Dragon's Lament to find it closed due to a fire.
• The next week saw the heroes engage in some more mundane activities, as the excitement of their adventures began to wane with the locals, and normality returned.
• Lugh set about working on restoring The Dragon's Lament tavern, which had suffered some setbacks in the efforts to rebuild it.

11th of Asti'lor

• Todd stole a book from the Oakhurst library that described, in part, what is happening to him.
• Todd ventured to Phandalin accompanied by Katar and Kavae'lee. There were some issues with the Deep Lantern Guild HQ there that Todd had started, and with the goblin Greenblood that was staying there.

13th of Asti'lor

• Mathias received a note that the flag ship of the Broken Few (The Dancing Dolphin), had been attacked and gone missing. Mathias set about getting passage to the last known port The Dancing Dolphin had been seen in - Dragonfall, Markwild.
• While waiting for passage he heard of several other ships disappearing between Markwild and Stormhaven.
• So, the whole group decided to leave Oakhurst for Dragonfall on Penora's Pride, a merchant cog captained by the eladrin Anqirith Aergilean. The ship was heading to Stormhaven with a stopover in Dragonfall.

22nd of Asti'lor

• A day out from Dragonfall, on the northwest coast of Markwild ship was attacked by weird fish men.

• The crew of Penora's Pride referred to these creatures as 'deep ones' and whispered about the Prince of the Darkened Depths before busting out into the following, haunting shanty:

There once was an island dead west of the sunset,
A place where the sun's rays danced carefree and bright.
Its shores all a'sparkle with white shining beaches,
And jungles aplenty with game day and night.
They say that the people who dwelt there were happy,
They say that they lived their lives simple and fair,
Yet one day a bitter wind rose from the ocean
And took the poor folk by surprise unaware.
For ruin had risen in thunderous fury,
A ravenous shadow fell over the shore.
And when Father Dagon's black gullet gaped open
The waves ran with blood and the isle was no more.

23rd of Asti'lor

• Arrived at Dragonfall, Markwild around mid-afternoon.
• Not waiting for the towns harbour guides rowed to the town docls using rowboats.
• THe majority headed to The Drunken Dragon, the former workplace of Katar, while Todd went by himself to the town Orphanage.
• Todd receieved a hero's welcome at the orphanage due to the money he had sent to them.
• At The Drunken Dragon, Katar received a message and a token from House Daeleth, requesting that he and Kavae'lee get in touch with them as they had heard of disappearances in the region (which were also occuring near Stormhaven) and they were worried.
• Ate a meal and had a few drinks while Lugh requainted with an old rival, before headed down to the docks to investigate the strange goings on down there with many folks coming down with an affliction that made them look more and more like fish-folk.
• At the docks found that there indeed lots of folks bearing fish-like features and heard that many of the afflicted fish-folk had been heading to the village Midcliffe to the north.
• While talking about how things should proceed a passerby who overheard suggested going to see The Green Lady in the swamps outside of Midcliffe.
• Todd asked to speak to Katar and as Katar bent to speak to him Todd touched his neck Katar grew a sponge-like growth on his neck. Katar then decided to go for a swim and the others could not convince him not to. Once in the water Katar saw a lot of the other afflicted fish-folk swimming around and after observing for a while noted that some of them did not return to the docks and instead disappeared into the water.
• Went to the harnourmasters office and spoke to him. Were informed that The Dancing Dolphin (the flagship of The Broken Few) had left port 18 days ago (5th Asti'lor), but word had gotten back 12 days ago (11th Asti'lor) that the ship had never reached their destination of Stormhaven.
• Returned to The Drunken Dragon to sleep, the strange visages of Katar and Todd made the city guard reluctant to let a return to the better part of town.

24th Asti'lor

• Katar had a terrible nights sleep having dreamed of dark tentacles dragging him and ships to watery depths of the seas.
• Visited the Lords Alliance office. Here found out that The Dancing Dolphin had reportedly changed course and instead of sailing to Stormhave had turned south and headed towards the Demon Maw Sargasso, and was least seen sailing past Highpoint, south of the Serpent Isle.
• Were told that a the fish-folk affliction had been observed all along the coast as well as Stormhaven and Vessek.
• Left town and walked north towards Midcliffe.
• On arrival in the small coastal village of Midcliffe heard a loud commotion and screams comming from a hut. Rushed to investigate and found a Unicorn-whale flopping about inside of the hut with a girl screaming in the corner. Katar strode forward and mumbles some words of magic and the beast disappeared.
• The girl (Shareen) thanked everyone. She told a story of how her father had prayed to the statue of Mallora in the village square and had received some parchments with words of power that had helped them in the past. She had tried to use these parchments to try and find her father who had disappeared but instead the unicorn-what had appeared in her hut instead.
• Katar went to look at the statue and spoke some words and a paper rose appeared before him, on one side was a poem and on the other he found several spells (Water Breathing x6, Steam Spray, Cleansing Rain & Summon Water Creature)
• Stayed that night at Shareen's hut were she fed some soup to everyone.
• While talking about the fish-folk affliction Shareen told of how Blagar, a man who lived in the swamps, had always looked like that and that her missing father was alast seen going to see him.

25th of Asti'lor

• The day was miserable, the air cold and a very light rain falling.
• Shareen pointed out a trail, that started near the town stables, that lead into the swamp and to Blagar's home. His home could be found on the wat to the Red Tree, which was creepy.
• Started to follow the trail and while traversing the path were attacked by some large toads with bones protruding from their skin.
• The toads were dispatched with little effort despite their monstrous appearance.
• Came to a hut and saw a tall, skinny bug eyed man who called himself Blagar, a kuo'toa. He complained that his pet toads had been killed. Kavae'll offered him some of her gear and he seemed appeased.
• Blagar said that he had seen Heff (Shareen's missing father) the day before yesterday, going towards the Red Tree which was near a burial mound and altar to an old unknown god.
• Headed towards the Red Tree with Katar bravely finding a patch of quicksand that covered the path ahead, by sinking up to his chest in it. Unfortunately he lost a potion of healing doing so.
• Continued on and as the marshy mists parted could see a large red tree ahead, but on closer inspection could see that the trunk and branches were made from bones and the leaves and moss hanging from it were in fact flesh and sinew. The mists then closed in and the tree was agaon obscured.
• Past the Red Tree a hilloick cound be observed, with carved stone pillars that suggested it was the burial mound that Blagar had talked about.
• Entered tha barrow and follow a winding path deep underground which opened up into a large cavern with a circle of stone pillars. A large demonic black mass sat in the middle of the pillars, tentacles reaching from it into the mouths of people tied to each pillar. Fish-folk reacted angrily to the intrusion, among them was Blagar.
• Battle ensued and thanks to a combined effort the swirling black demon (demon Dagan-spawn)was defeated and 12 of the 13 tied 'victims' were saved. Hopeful that the demons destruction will see the curse lift and the affliction removed from those affected.
• Survivors taken back to Midcliff.

26th of Asti'lor

• lanear Seastar knows island that people are talking about and can take us there, & old soldier known for his pugilism Kalin Stone fist has offered to help, so ask him to help take people back to their homes.
• Lanear knows where entrance to old temple is up river. SHe can drop party off to the side , they can then climb around to it.
• Head into temple from the sea side, groups of fish-men & partially converted fish-men in there.
• Todd climbs the walls and sneaks in, climbing the roof so he can see what is in there.
• Katar rushes in and starts attacking
• Combat ensues
• Search down two side corridors on dry land
• *begin searching the temple

*come across another group of fish-men while wading knee deep through water.

• find some fish-folk resting in a room, dispatched them
• keep searching find fish-folk undergoing some sort of religious ceremony.
• defeat all of them as well.