Journal – Session 11
Having annihilated a temple of demon-worshipping cultists hidden deep in the mist-shrouded jungles of the farthest reaches of southern Ithacar, a party of six bold adventurers – Barrack, a plain-spoken dwarven Fighter, powerful wielder of the hammers favored by that strong and dour race; Marik, a reptilian dragonborn Warlock, heir to an ancient and proud lineage, but inescapably bound to a pact granting him supernatural powers; Jaeran, an elven Cleric upon whom the gods have granted a measure of divine power as a reward for his faith; Luke, a cloaked half-elf Wizard of mysterious origins and arcane might; Syxia, a tiefling Rogue, dark daughter of a cursed bloodline, her ancestors given to the infernal worship of fiends; and Ur-Kadar, dragonborn Paladin of Bahamut, the Platinum Dragon, a holy warrior dedicated to upholding the tenets of his faith and protecting the weak with his battle axe – returned to the port of Inequity, and prepared for their next quest.
Before leaving the unholy confines of the decimated temple, Jaeran confiscated the bone mask worn by the high priest, as well as two of the crimson robes worn by the vanquished underpriests. The party also escorted Delyd and the other two prisoners they freed from the hellish depths of the temple dungeon; neither were in possession of their faculties, and seemed quite mad. Upon their return to Inequity, Jaeran escorted the three men to the Sun Temple, and left them in the charge of Brother Kleros. The party then immediately proceeded to meet with Lord Braccus. Although the heroes were admitted into the lord’s keep quickly, they were told that their wait would be 10 minutes (which soon became 30 minutes). As soon they were escorted into the audience chamber, they informed Braccus of the cultists in the temple. He seemed very concerned, and asked what he apparently hoped was a rhetorical question in “I’m assuming you dealt with them properly?” Barrack confirmed that they had indeed dealt with the cultists “properly,” noting that the cultists were routed with extreme prejudice. Braccus was also shown the encrypted note from the mysterious Brother H. He read the missive, and his mood quickly turned dark and brooding as he complained about “just one more thing to deal with.” He stated that when he returned from Folkestone, he would send soldiers to the temple to make any rebuilding effort most difficult for the demon cultists.
With that, Lord Braccus’ attention turned to the Sea Drake that had recently been menacing the waters around Inequity. He offered the party the use of the port patrol ship, the Swift Retribution, and her 5-man crew for one month. He also offered 600 gold pieces for the head of the drake. If the heroes managed to return with the monster’s head, Braccus declared that he wanted to put it on public display. In addition, he inquired about whether the party would be able to escort him to and from Folkestone, as he was due to meet with other lords of Ithacar before King Danold Galifor in that town. He offered an additional 250 gold pieces for escorting him safely to Folkestone, but indicated that he would sweeten it to 500 gold pieces if the Sea Drake was killed as well. He was scheduled to leave for Folkestone and his audience with the King in 15 days, so the party had to quickly decide on a course of action. Jaeran asked him to secure extra guards for additional protection; Braccus stated that he would do what he could, but that he could only spare so many men, given the number of dangers facing Inequity. The party decided to take him up on his offer, and Braccus sent word to Captain Weeden, commanding officer of the Swift Retribution. He added that neither Captain Weeden nor his crew would engage the Sea Drake, although they would certainly defend themselves if it came to that. The party left the keep with Lord Braccus’ blessing, as well as his profound thanks.
On their way out of the keep, the heroes were met by a messenger from Sister Eramora at The Sanctuary of the Sea; she informed the group that she had made contact with the Sahuagin. She said that the sea devils had learned the location of the Sea Drake’s lair and that they were willing to escort the party there if the heroes would attempt to slay the monster. The Sahuagin had told Sister Eramora that the drake had attacked their settlements and severely diminished their food supply. The party agreed to meet Sister Eramora and the Sahuagin on the beach by the guardtower. She also gave the party an ancient, yellowed scroll upon which was inscribed a ritual of Water Walk to assist the party.
Barrack proceeded to the stale-beer dive known as the Knaves and Knives, a ramshackle establishment known to cater to a rather coarse and loud crowd, and began to boast about how he and his companions were headed off to slay the Sea Drake. When the malcontents, bounders and other assorted low-lifes who were the bar patrons began to dismiss him, he loudly stated that he was going to mount it “right there” (forcefully gesticulating with a stubby Dwarven finger to a point just over the head of the bar). Geirston Murtha, the owner of the establishment, leaned over and asked Barrack if he were really going after the drake. Barrack confirmed that he was. Geirston then took Barrack aside, and told the grizzled Fighter that if he and his friends really did slay the drake, Barrack should bring it back here; if that came to pass, Geirston would make certain that the party was rewarded.
In the meantime, the rest of the party went to see Finneas Snick at his Swap Shop. Ur-Kadar empowered himself with divine grace and began vociferously negotiating with the weasely little man. Ur-Kadar handled the exchange masterfully, and actually managed to talk Snick into trading several items in exchange for the magical frost flail the party had recovered on their last quest. At the end of the negotiations, Snick looked a bit confused (and that doesn’t happen very often). The party then proceeded to load up on supplies and spent their hard-earned gold on several magical items. In total, they acquired an Elixir of Aptitude, two Potions of Clarity, a Potion of Mimicry, a Potion of Healing, a Peridot Power Jewel, and scrolls containing the Waterbreathing and Bloom rituals. Syxia had spent many days wheedling, whining, begging and otherwise trying to convince someone to buy her the magical Acrobat Boots that she had seen and fallen in lust with at Snick’s Swap Shop; she could not take her eyes or her mind off of the enchanted boots (nor would she shut up about them). She was absolutely devastated to learn that the Rogue had already sold the boots to another customer. She spent the rest of the evening in a very bad mood, and refused to speak to anyone (which everyone else thought to be a blessing). Rather than joining her comrades in the tavern of the Black Gull, the sullen devil-girl instead stomped up to her room, slammed her door, took a bubble bath and then cried herself to sleep.
In the morning, the party arose late, had breakfast and proceeded to the docks, where both the fresh sea breeze and the salty brine smell of the fishmongers’ booths met them. Making their way around the sea-front docks, they met Captain Weeden and his crew, and then boarded the Swift Retribution. The crewmen exchanged glances and grumbled to themselves upon seeing Syxia, as sailors are a superstitious lot, and the lore of the sea holds that a female on board a ship can bring bad luck; even so, it quickly became apparent that the sailors found the exotic and alluring Syxia very lovely to look on, and followed her every movement with their eyes. Once everyone had mounted the gangplank and stood aboard the vessel, Captain Weeden sternly reminded the group that he and his crew were not hunting the drake down, and pointedly reminded the heroes that he and his men would only defend the ship if it were attacked. The mooring lines were thrown to the longshoremen on the docks and the swift ship pulled out of the harbor, heading west along the rugged coastline. Syxia gathered her things and made for the captain’s cabin. “And just where do ye think ye’re goin’, missy?” growled the captain. “Well, naturally, as the only girl on board, and as a refined lady of a noble dynasty, I just assumed that I would be booked for the most comfortable accommodations aboard this vessel,” replied Syxia as she prepared to stow her things in the comfortable cabin. “No” was Weeden’s answer, and barring the way into his cabin, he pointed the hell-tainted maiden to the stairs descending to the party’s quarters, a converted storeroom containing six hammocks. No amount of Syxia’s arguing, pleading or negotiations would sway the captain (she even offered to sleep in his room when he was out and about, alternating sleep schedules with him, so that his bed would “smell pretty, like a girl” when he returned, but Weeden would have none of it). Also, being in full view of the crew and her companions, Syxia was not able to attempt to flirt with the captain in an attempt to charm her way into his cabin using her feminine wiles and powers of soft persuasion, so she stormed off to the party’s quarters – a converted storeroom that was thankfully more than large enough to accommodate the 6 adventurers and all of their gear.
Having already gone below into the quarters reserved for the party, Luke had begun preparing the Comprehend Languages ritual, assuming that magical aids would be required before any discussions could be held with the Sahuagin. The ship stopped once they reached the beach near the harbor, as the sailors and the party saw Sister Eramora walking toward them. She greeted the party and then said that she would summon the Sahuagin. She called out “Ba-bool” and after several minutes, one of the sea creatures surfaced from out of the deep water and approached her – this Sahuagin was obviously Ba-bool. The Cleric told the party to give the sea devil space, and to back up and look non-threatening. Sister Eramora began talking to Ba-bool and told him that the party had accepted the bargain: they would attempt to kill the Sea Drake if Ba-bool would lead them to the beast’s lair. In exchange, Ba-bool would be allowed to keep all the gold coins and the drake’s body, while the party would keep the head of the drake and all the rest of the treasure. Ba-bool agreed to these terms. Luke, who through the power of the ritual was able to understand the words being spoken in spite of not speaking the Abyssal language, became visibly upset with Sister Eramora. Confronting her, he told her that she had lied to the party, and that he did not appreciate that fact and would not forget it. For her part, she merely told him to calm down, and noted that she provided the party with a scroll containing the Water Walk ritual at no charge in an effort to make the deal work. Everyone would get what they wanted, if only both sides gave a little. She also claimed that it had been her intention all along to tell the party this after Ba-bool had agreed to everything. The party eventually agreed to the terms, and they seemed to get over what was a minor betrayal. Ba-bool the Sahuagin swam toward the Swift Retribution and once everyone was prepared, they proceeded. Ba-bool took brief rests every few hours, and clung to the bottom or side of the ship while he rested.
In the meantime, Luke and Jaeran carefully prepared two Sending rituals, and attempted to contact Luke’s father Erdan and Neltharian the Wizard, respectively. Luke’s message to his father was “Father, found your cloak and saw Ranger captured by Orc named Gorshak. Send word of your status and location. Lucan." The ritual was prepared and the message sent, but there was no reply. Jaeran then prepared the second ritual and sent a message to Neltharian. Luke created a very clever lyrical arrangement, given the limitation on what could be conveyed, and the importance of giving the Wizard as much useful information as possible:
Gnolls aid Chosen at Shar'Ngrond.
Orcs allied cult, besieging Draig Durrock.
Reclaimed gate near Inequity.
Several more eastward.
H claims Two of Nine.
Advise.
King's journey endangered.
However, following this second ritual there was again no reply, leading both ritual casters to consider that additional practice might be required before they perfected the proper method. Following this, Jaeran and Luke asked the crew to teach them how to load and fire the ballista and catapult on board; the sailors were only too happy to undertake this instruction, and both spellcasters quickly became adept at using the war machines to great effect. The other party members – aside from the hell-tainted damsel Syxia – also shouldered their fair share of the hard work of the sailors, and the heroes soon came to respect the seafarers for their skill and hard work, even as the seamen were grateful to the party for all of their amateur assistance.
For her part, and rather than engaging in callus-inducing labor involving heavy ropes, the refined Syxia spent most of her time laying out on the deck sun-bathing (her brick red skin and infernal heritage making her immune to being sunburned) in the skimpiest outfits she could devise, taking wicked pleasure in knowing that the sailors were greatly distracted by her charms, although she pretended to ignore them. What she could not ignore were the shouts of fellow crewmen, or of Captain Weeden, when a sailor did not devote his full attention to the task at hand, instead stealing glances at the nubile maiden - but that only made her smile and strive to be even more of an attention-getter. A number of serious maritime accidents were only narrowly avoided when Syxia took to performing her morning yoga exercises on deck, the seamen ogling her, all of them awe-struck and slack-jawed at the remarkable flexibility that she displayed. Captain Weeden almost had to say something when Syxia began hanging her just-washed delicate unmentionables from the lines for the sails which criss-crossed above the deck, but the diaphanous garments dried so quickly in the sea breeze and the bright sun that Syxia always removed them before her undergarments caused too much of a stir among the crew. Needless to say, if the crew had been uncertain about taking a girl aboard before the journey started, they really came to appreciate the unique contribution that Syxia brought to her voyage aboard the Swift Retribution.
Concerned that the Sea Drake might attack the ship (and so force the party to fight at a disadvantage), the heroes devised a plan to perform the Water Walk ritual upon Barrack, and then launch him via the catapult at the drake. If the monster was close, Barrack could forego the catapult ride and simply try to chase it down. Unfortunately, they did not get a chance to try out their plan, as there were no signs of the drake throughout the journey. After six long days of travel, the vessel reached the place where the “Shield-arm of Ithacar”, the massive range of hills and mountains on the eastern border of Ithacar, near to the rugged hinterlands of Wysteria, ended at the sea. The terrain became rocky and jagged, and the sea churned as it pooled and slammed against the rocks. After almost seven days afloat, the party and crew realized that Ba-bool was nowhere to be found. The ship slowed and stopped, and all on board fanned out on the deck to check for any signs of the water-breathing scout. After approximately 20 minutes, Ba-bool surfaced and beckoned the party to join him in the water. Luke performed the Waterbreathing ritual, and the party was granted the ability to breath underwater for 24 hours. Ba-bool led them down into the coolness of the ocean water to a depth of approximately 25’. From the ocean floor, the party could see the underwater entrance to a large cave nearby. Ba-bool motioned for them to go in, but he refused to go any further himself. Luke cast a Light spell on Barrack’s warhammer, and the Dwarf led the way into the undersea cavern. The cave mouth was both large and wide, and upon exploring the cavern deeper, the party discovered winding tunnels that informed them that this was indeed the lair of the monstrous Sea Drake. They proceeded slowly for a number of minutes before the tunnel began to rise. After several more minutes of probing forward, the party emerged from the tunnel into a large cavern. While they appeared to be approximately 20’ underwater, there was a faint hint of light in the cavern. The party took a second to get their bearings, and recognized that the underwater floor rose to the point that a small section of the cavern was above water. The party began to swim for the shallows and the small section of dry land inside the cavern. Barrack and Marik pulled ahead while Ur-Kadar struggled a bit under the weight of his heavy armor. As the party drew closer, they could make out the outline of the drake resting on the small patch of rocky land above the waterline.
The party continued to advance, with Barrack headed straight for the drake while the others fanned out, wary of the great beast’s breath weapon of steam. Just as the drake was awakened by the sound of the intruders in its lair, Barrack rushed forth out of the water and engaged the beast. The brute roared and sprang to life as the other party members pushed their way onto the rocky island. Barrack attempted to tie the drake down, his warhammer glancing off the thick hide of the beast. Luke quickly unleashed a flood of magical energy, laying down a Stinking Cloud of poisonous vapors on the drake while also conjuring an adjacent Flaming Sphere of magical fire. Syxia unleashed a Blinding Barrage of steely daggers, but they merely bounced off the reptile’s think, scaly armor. Marik called on the Hunger of Hadar, and the drake was wreathed in swirling shadows of madness and despair. At this point, the drake found itself outnumbered, blinded and confused. To make matters worse for the drake, Jaeran successfully Commanded the drake to the floor. Meanwhile, Ur-Kadar continued to slowly make his way ashore. While the party had successfully managed to control the drake, they had not done any major damage to the brute - until Ur-Kadar approached from the side.
Ur-Kadar advanced with his magical axe held high over his head, bellowing a ferocious battle cry. He brought the heavy, cleaving blade down with astounding power, and scored a deadly blow that delivered maximum damage to the drake’s neck. Incredibly, the stalwart Paladin was able to use the axe’s downward momentum and a quick shift of his feet to complete the arc, and brought the weapon to bear again. He scored yet another critical strike that left a significant, bleeding gash in the left side of his enemy which poured forth a slick, black ichor that steamed as it pooled upon the rocky earth of the cavern floor. Ur-Kadar had become an implement of divine fury. The drake retaliated by belching a cloud of steam that hit Barrack, Syxia and Jaeran. The battle continued with the party and the drake exchanging minor blows as the great wyrm filled the underwater cavern with titanic roars of fury. Syxia managed a deep cut with her magical flaming dagger, and channeled the power of the blade to wreath the drake in flames, although the beast shook off this effect in short order. However, Ur-Kadar’s next assault was a sweeping uppercut with the heavy axe that again found a soft spot in the drake’s armor. As with the previous two attacks, he inflicted massive damage, sending fragments of scale and bone – as well as a spray of steaming blood – high into the air.
Upon taking so much massive damage, the drake used a passing attack to escape the vice between Barrack and Ur-Kadar, as well as the poisonous cloud, flaming sphere and swirl of shadows positioned to its rear. It managed to send Barrack, Syxia and Jaeran flying into the water as it quickly shifted to more open waters. Inspired by the Paladin’s deadly strikes, the party continued to throw everything they had at the drake in the hope of ending the battle quickly. The drake looked to flee but Jaeran utilized a peridot power jewel and Commanded the drake to return to the rocky isle. The party seized this opportunity, as Barrack unleashed a rain of blows, Syxia a positioning strike, Marik a curse and an eldritch blast, Luke a cloud of force daggers and Ur-Kadar a valiant strike. With that combination, the drake realized that the battle was lost and that it had to flee or face destruction. It quickly retreated to the deeper water and then swam down into the submerged passageway that led to the sea. Disappointed, but wanting the battle to end, the party attempted to follow the drake into the sea.
As they reached the end of the cave, Barrack was shocked to see the massive drake swimming straight at him at great speed. The Dwarf tried to swing at the passing beast but the water restricted his movement. Several other party members also missed before the drake bit Ur-Kadar around the mid-section and began to carry him away; there was no doubt that the drake was intent on maiming the one responsible for its terrible pain. In heroic final fashion, Ur-Kadar – still struggling while in the mouth of the beast – brought his axe to bear one more time and ended the beast’s life. With that, the party dragged the body, buoyed by the water, back inside the cavern and onto shore. The group was now able to inspect a smaller ledge that was found to contain many valuables, the discovery of which sent Syxia into a giddy state of euphoria. They uncovered a magical helm, longsword and amulet in addition to approximately 160 gold coins, and a small nest of gold and silver items and gems. As they were inspecting the treasure hoard, Ur-Kadar cleaved off the drake’s head and Ba-bool appeared in the cavern. The party was concerned that Ba-bool had set them up and proceeded very cautiously. Ba-bool stepped forward and began scooping the coins into a pile near the drake’s now-headless body. After the items were collected, the party decided to return to the ship.
As they returned to the surface, the heroes saw a body plunge from a height and hit the water, near the side of the Swift Retribution. They recognized the mangled corpse as a member of the crew. They instantly assumed it was an ambush from the Sahuagin, but Ba-bool did not attack. Instead, he swam to the surface. Barrack climbed the anchor chain onto the deck and surprised two Sahuagin. On the ship were eight Sahuagin raiders, a Sahuagin priest and a vicious four-armed Sahuagin Baron. Syxia quickly navigated her way up the anchor chain and was followed by other party members. Marik, and to a lesser extent Ur-Kadar, had great difficulty climbing the chain due to their bulk. Jaeran provided inspiration and healing to the crew members as they attempted to hold off the sea-devils on the main deck; the party recognized that they were going to need Captain Weeden and his crew for the trip home. Barrack was busy bashing one Sahuagin off the ship with his shield when Ba-bool reached the quarterdeck. The party kept a keen eye on him, as they expected him to betray them. The Sahuagin, who appeared to have slightly different coloration from those attacking the crew, raised his trident and leapt off the quarterdeck onto two enemies below. It was clear from these actions that Ba-bool was a friend who wished to kill these raiders.
Jaeran created an area of Consecrated Ground in an effort to clear space for the party. He also managed to heal allies within it, including Ba-bool, and harm his enemies. In short order, the party retook the quarterdeck and pushed their way onto the main deck of the ship. On the other side of the ship, the crew managed to kill one of the Sahuagin attackers and then focused their attacks on the other. The priest fired waterbolts at the party, occasionally slamming a hero with a ferocious blast of water. The mighty four-armed Baron was temporarily focused on slaying Ba-bool until the party advanced on him. The priest unleashed a Spectral Shark which appeared and closed its jaws around Syxia. The Baron proved to be a very able combatant, attacking with his magical trident and two claws. Luke cast a Prismatic Spray of colorful arcane energy that dazed several of those on the deck, allowing Syxia to strike the Baron for significant damage; it also allowed the party to reposition themselves. The tide of the battle then turned in favor of the party. The Sahuagin refused to yield, but ultimately fell to the party’s combined powers. They collected a magical trident, which was given to Ba-bool, and several pieces of gold jewelry. The crew and party threw the dead Sahuagin overboard, and recovered the body of the slain crewman in order to return his body to Inequity for proper burial. The crew then prepared the sails and rigging for a swift voyage, and the ship made for Inequity with all speed, bearing the party, their loot and the head of the drake back to port.
The ship returned to Inequity to cheers. Upon disembarking, the heroes marched up to the keep to see Lord Braccus. They were told to wait 10 minutes, although he showed up almost immediately. Braccus congratulated them and paid them 600 gold coins on the spot. He said that the head of the Sea Drake must be shown around the town for a while to prove that the beast was indeed dead, and then the party could do what they wanted with it. The party assisted a few guardsmen in hanging the head of the Sea Drake in the harbor for all to view. After several hours, and a multitude of visitors, the guards gave the head back to the party, who promptly marched it over to the Knaves and Knives, the seedy drinking establishment catering to a rough crowd. Geirston Murtha thanked them and told them that whenever they come in, the first drink will always be on him. Word quickly spread throughout the tavern that the three ships in port were leaving on the morrow, so the seaman (and the motley assortment of brigands that also passed for crewmen) in Inequity were living it up – Syxia was forced to politely decline numerous offers of companionship for the night. The heroes all had their fill of sea stories and drinking games and returned to the Black Gull, as the party would soon be serving as guards for Braccus’ journey to Folkestone. The lord said that he had arranged for six of his best men to accompany him to Folkestone, but explained that this bare handful of men were all he could afford to take, as the rest of his forces were needed to protect Inequity while he was away. He also pointed out that he was paying the party to provide protection. They had arranged to leave early the next morning, and spent the remainder of the evening telling their tales in the tavern of the Black Gull. As usual, and dreading another wilderness trek, Syxia retired early for a bubble bath and to wash her hair. After many rounds of ale and a night of feasting and revelry, the party spent a restful night at the inn.
The heroes rose early and met Braccus and his men a short time after sunrise. They planned to follow the road, as it was the fastest and most direct route to the town of Folkestone. Braccus travelled in a covered coach (into the comforts of which Syxia tried – and failed – to talk her way into; her back-up plan failed, too: she was going to talk about it constantly until Braccus gave in. Needless to say, he never did so), with four mounted soldiers and two crossbowmen riding on and driving the coach. On the first day of the journey, Jaeran, Luke and Marik performed the Sending ritual anew; this time, Luke managed to get a response from his father. Erdan reported that “I am fine. I have escaped from Gorshak and am heading to safety. How is Luthien? Erdan.” The fact that his father had escaped pleased Luke, but he was puzzled as to the identity of Luthien. Jaeran sent his message to Neltharian, and the Wizard responded “This is disturbing and confirms my suspicions. Unfortunately, we have much to discuss. We’ll talk when you arrive.” The party was very cautions going through Skylde Gate Pass. Syxia carefully inspected the Keep and found no signs whatsoever of Orcs. After a few days of uneventful travel, the caravan reached Folkestone without incident or issue.
Upon their arrival in Folkestone, Barrack and Ur-Kadar escorted Braccus to the Keep while the others went to meet Neltharian. Syxia scanned the crowds without success for any sign of Belandor, the handsome guard corporal who had once threatened to physically restrain her when summoning her to a meeting with Jessup after she had threatened a town notable; after that encounter, the comely devil-maiden had become smitten with the chiseled guardsman, and she was very disappointed that she had not seen him again. In fact, the party had retained the magical longsword plundered from the Sea Drake’s lair, and planned to present the enchanted blade to Belandor in order to build up goodwill (and an ally) in Folkestone.
As the party entered Neltharian’s shop, the Wizard welcomed them and said that he had much to discuss with the party. Luke produced the note that was recovered from the demon-cultist temple. Neltharian read the document and without looking up muttered, “So, it is as I feared.” He hesitated a moment, and then told the party that he had not always been as forthcoming as he could have been. He apologized, and explained that he would like to shed some light on things. He recalled the story that he had previously told the party regarding the events that had occurred just over 2,000 years ago.
At that time, a group of humans and Tielflings opened up nine portals, in sequential order, and at specific places of power, which allowed Orcus, demon lord of the abyss, and his horde of demons to enter the world. They spread destruction all over Soltara and reduced the land to chaos. The Elves retreated to the darkest parts of their forest homes, the Dwarves withdrew to their mountain fortresses, the Dragonborn were very nearly wiped off of Soltara completely, the Halflings hid and the humans were pushed to the far corners of the world. A group of heroes emerged, led by the human Wizard Angronomir. With the help of certain now-legendary artifacts, these heroes were successful in stemming the tide, rallying Soltara’s defenses and pushing back the hordes from the Abyss. They succeeded in finally casting Orcus back into the Abyss and sealing the gate. Upon sealing the gate, Angronomir’s staff was shattered into eight pieces; rumors hold that the eight pieces of the staff were scattered over what is now Wysteria. Legend has it that if the staff could be reassembled, it would reawaken the powerful wizard who disappeared after the battle was won.
Neltharian said that in addition to searching for the places of power, he had been searching for the fragments of Angronomir’s staff, because it would be exceptionally helpful in closing the gates. He told the party that he believed that he knew where two of the pieces were. The first is in the Fen of Forgotten Souls, to the wild and uninhabited lands east of Folkestone. He believed that the second piece of the staff was acquired by the wizard Balthazar and that this piece of the staff is most likely hidden and well-protected in the ancient castle of that worthy. Neltharian went on to note that Balthazar had not been seen in over 1,000 years.
With that now weighing on the minds of the heroes, Luke inquired about his father and the identity of the “Luthien” to whom his father had referred. Neltharian explained that Luthien Greenleaf was also a member of the Order of Candrical. He was an Elven Ranger who assisted Neltharian in finding either the locations of power or the possible sites wherein the pieces of Angronomir’s lost and scattered staff might be secreted. Luke then told Neltharian of the dead Elf they found at the temple. Neltharian was saddened upon hearing this news, and confirmed that it was probably Luthien. This explained why he had been unable to contact the Elf. Luke then asked what, if anything, this had to do with his father, and informed Neltharian that the party had found his father’s cloak at the temple along with Luthien’s body. Neltharian explained that Luke’s father is the liaison between the Elven kingdom of Avalar and the Order of Candrical, and that Luthien and Erdan had been friends since they were adolescents; Erdan often accompanied Luthien on his journeys. Neltharian suspected that Luthien’s death would weigh heavily on Erdan. The Wizard also mentioned that he found something that might be a connection to The Animator, and went on to state that he had learned that there was man, a recluse, living in Carrowheel that goes by the name Danelious Zharam; this may very well be Dzaram.
In the meantime, Barrack and Ur-Kadar met with Braccus and Jessup at the Keep. The King was already in Folkestone, and the assembled lords were waiting for Lord Titus Alderwald to arrive from Carrowheel. The fighting-men and the lords had a civil conversation, and Braccus told Jessup about how the party had helped him by killing the Sea Drake and cleaning out the Orcs from Skylde Gate Keep. Ur-Kadar filled Jessup in on the cultists at the jungle temple. Jessup said that the King had informed the lords that things were turning bleak in the north. Pernholde, a small city southeast of Gartmoore (on the border with Wysteria), had come under attack by a large force of goblins. Had it not been for the presence of a courageous band of five heroes (among whom were counted the renowned human Sorcerer Arclyte and the daring Halfling Rogue Tanith “Shadowcat” Darkraven), including two who lost their lives in the defense of the place, it would have fallen. The city was being fortified and reinforced, but all were very concerned. The scouts on the northern border with Dunemaul had reported increased activity and other signs of trouble. Also, there had been reports of ominous signs of increasing trouble in the dark forest of Ravenwoode. In essence, the King has found himself forced to focus on reinforcing the northern borders, and because of this, he does not have a great deal of resources with which to defend the southern cities. As Jessup finished and all present were lost in deep thought, the warning bell at the gatehouse began to ring. The men rushed out of the Keep and toward the main gates of Folkestone. The party reformed there, the other four members meeting up with the fighting-men before the great gate. Two riders soon approached the main gates at speed, and the massive portals were swung wide to admit them. Led by Belandor, the town guardsmen quickly funneled the riders to the gates of the Keep. One was slumped over on his horse while the other was visibly wounded. Jaeran applied aid to both while the lead rider told Jessup that “Lord Titus Alderwald has fallen.” He explained that Orcs and Ogres ambushed them; while they did their best to defend their lord, once he fell they broke and made for Folkestone to inform the King. Jessup and Braccus quickly excused themselves and prepared to meet with the King.
While they were waiting, Barrack led the party to Gimmar Fellhammer, the Dwarven blacksmith of Folkestone. Gimmar said that he knows the location of the Dwarven hold of Draig Durrok, and pointed it out on one of the regional maps carried by Syxia. He told the heroes that while he was not from Draig Durrok, he knew of a small Dwarven hold on the western side of the rugged range of hills several miles north of the Path of Shadows, as that is where his family was originally from. He suggested that the heroes might wish to check there, in order to see if the Dwarves who dwelt there could provide any assistance. The group also paid a visit to Drachen Sylvanni, a leading merchant of Folkestone, to see what new magical (or otherwise useful) items he might have for sale – Syxia was crushed to learn that he did not have a pair of size 6 Acrobat Boots available. The heroes took a quick look at the available items, but bought none, and then returned to The Crested Cock, the reputable inn that had served as their former base of operations, to settle in and wait for Braccus.
The next morning, the heroes found a note from Braccus waiting for them downstairs, informing them that the King had appointed a new Lord of Carrowheel - Lord Sebastian Blackwell was to take over the defense of that town, and was to depart from Dunwin immediately. Braccus also noted that their council with the King would end later that day, and that he wished to return to Inequity on the following morning. The group tied up some loose ends in Folkestone, and spent a quiet evening waiting for Braccus. In the morning, they prepared to depart for Inequity.
However, following this second ritual there was again no reply, leading both ritual casters to consider that additional practice might be required before they perfected the proper method. Following this, Jaeran and Luke asked the crew to teach them how to load and fire the ballista and catapult on board; the sailors were only too happy to undertake this instruction, and both spellcasters quickly became adept at using the war machines to great effect. The other party members – aside from the hell-tainted damsel Syxia – also shouldered their fair share of the hard work of the sailors, and the heroes soon came to respect the seafarers for their skill and hard work, even as the seamen were grateful to the party for all of their amateur assistance.
For her part, and rather than engaging in callus-inducing labor involving heavy ropes, the refined Syxia spent most of her time laying out on the deck sun-bathing (her brick red skin and infernal heritage making her immune to being sunburned) in the skimpiest outfits she could devise, taking wicked pleasure in knowing that the sailors were greatly distracted by her charms, although she pretended to ignore them. What she could not ignore were the shouts of fellow crewmen, or of Captain Weeden, when a sailor did not devote his full attention to the task at hand, instead stealing glances at the nubile maiden - but that only made her smile and strive to be even more of an attention-getter. A number of serious maritime accidents were only narrowly avoided when Syxia took to performing her morning yoga exercises on deck, the seamen ogling her, all of them awe-struck and slack-jawed at the remarkable flexibility that she displayed. Captain Weeden almost had to say something when Syxia began hanging her just-washed delicate unmentionables from the lines for the sails which criss-crossed above the deck, but the diaphanous garments dried so quickly in the sea breeze and the bright sun that Syxia always removed them before her undergarments caused too much of a stir among the crew. Needless to say, if the crew had been uncertain about taking a girl aboard before the journey started, they really came to appreciate the unique contribution that Syxia brought to her voyage aboard the Swift Retribution.
Concerned that the Sea Drake might attack the ship (and so force the party to fight at a disadvantage), the heroes devised a plan to perform the Water Walk ritual upon Barrack, and then launch him via the catapult at the drake. If the monster was close, Barrack could forego the catapult ride and simply try to chase it down. Unfortunately, they did not get a chance to try out their plan, as there were no signs of the drake throughout the journey. After six long days of travel, the vessel reached the place where the “Shield-arm of Ithacar”, the massive range of hills and mountains on the eastern border of Ithacar, near to the rugged hinterlands of Wysteria, ended at the sea. The terrain became rocky and jagged, and the sea churned as it pooled and slammed against the rocks. After almost seven days afloat, the party and crew realized that Ba-bool was nowhere to be found. The ship slowed and stopped, and all on board fanned out on the deck to check for any signs of the water-breathing scout. After approximately 20 minutes, Ba-bool surfaced and beckoned the party to join him in the water. Luke performed the Waterbreathing ritual, and the party was granted the ability to breath underwater for 24 hours. Ba-bool led them down into the coolness of the ocean water to a depth of approximately 25’. From the ocean floor, the party could see the underwater entrance to a large cave nearby. Ba-bool motioned for them to go in, but he refused to go any further himself. Luke cast a Light spell on Barrack’s warhammer, and the Dwarf led the way into the undersea cavern. The cave mouth was both large and wide, and upon exploring the cavern deeper, the party discovered winding tunnels that informed them that this was indeed the lair of the monstrous Sea Drake. They proceeded slowly for a number of minutes before the tunnel began to rise. After several more minutes of probing forward, the party emerged from the tunnel into a large cavern. While they appeared to be approximately 20’ underwater, there was a faint hint of light in the cavern. The party took a second to get their bearings, and recognized that the underwater floor rose to the point that a small section of the cavern was above water. The party began to swim for the shallows and the small section of dry land inside the cavern. Barrack and Marik pulled ahead while Ur-Kadar struggled a bit under the weight of his heavy armor. As the party drew closer, they could make out the outline of the drake resting on the small patch of rocky land above the waterline.
The party continued to advance, with Barrack headed straight for the drake while the others fanned out, wary of the great beast’s breath weapon of steam. Just as the drake was awakened by the sound of the intruders in its lair, Barrack rushed forth out of the water and engaged the beast. The brute roared and sprang to life as the other party members pushed their way onto the rocky island. Barrack attempted to tie the drake down, his warhammer glancing off the thick hide of the beast. Luke quickly unleashed a flood of magical energy, laying down a Stinking Cloud of poisonous vapors on the drake while also conjuring an adjacent Flaming Sphere of magical fire. Syxia unleashed a Blinding Barrage of steely daggers, but they merely bounced off the reptile’s think, scaly armor. Marik called on the Hunger of Hadar, and the drake was wreathed in swirling shadows of madness and despair. At this point, the drake found itself outnumbered, blinded and confused. To make matters worse for the drake, Jaeran successfully Commanded the drake to the floor. Meanwhile, Ur-Kadar continued to slowly make his way ashore. While the party had successfully managed to control the drake, they had not done any major damage to the brute - until Ur-Kadar approached from the side.
Ur-Kadar advanced with his magical axe held high over his head, bellowing a ferocious battle cry. He brought the heavy, cleaving blade down with astounding power, and scored a deadly blow that delivered maximum damage to the drake’s neck. Incredibly, the stalwart Paladin was able to use the axe’s downward momentum and a quick shift of his feet to complete the arc, and brought the weapon to bear again. He scored yet another critical strike that left a significant, bleeding gash in the left side of his enemy which poured forth a slick, black ichor that steamed as it pooled upon the rocky earth of the cavern floor. Ur-Kadar had become an implement of divine fury. The drake retaliated by belching a cloud of steam that hit Barrack, Syxia and Jaeran. The battle continued with the party and the drake exchanging minor blows as the great wyrm filled the underwater cavern with titanic roars of fury. Syxia managed a deep cut with her magical flaming dagger, and channeled the power of the blade to wreath the drake in flames, although the beast shook off this effect in short order. However, Ur-Kadar’s next assault was a sweeping uppercut with the heavy axe that again found a soft spot in the drake’s armor. As with the previous two attacks, he inflicted massive damage, sending fragments of scale and bone – as well as a spray of steaming blood – high into the air.
Upon taking so much massive damage, the drake used a passing attack to escape the vice between Barrack and Ur-Kadar, as well as the poisonous cloud, flaming sphere and swirl of shadows positioned to its rear. It managed to send Barrack, Syxia and Jaeran flying into the water as it quickly shifted to more open waters. Inspired by the Paladin’s deadly strikes, the party continued to throw everything they had at the drake in the hope of ending the battle quickly. The drake looked to flee but Jaeran utilized a peridot power jewel and Commanded the drake to return to the rocky isle. The party seized this opportunity, as Barrack unleashed a rain of blows, Syxia a positioning strike, Marik a curse and an eldritch blast, Luke a cloud of force daggers and Ur-Kadar a valiant strike. With that combination, the drake realized that the battle was lost and that it had to flee or face destruction. It quickly retreated to the deeper water and then swam down into the submerged passageway that led to the sea. Disappointed, but wanting the battle to end, the party attempted to follow the drake into the sea.
As they reached the end of the cave, Barrack was shocked to see the massive drake swimming straight at him at great speed. The Dwarf tried to swing at the passing beast but the water restricted his movement. Several other party members also missed before the drake bit Ur-Kadar around the mid-section and began to carry him away; there was no doubt that the drake was intent on maiming the one responsible for its terrible pain. In heroic final fashion, Ur-Kadar – still struggling while in the mouth of the beast – brought his axe to bear one more time and ended the beast’s life. With that, the party dragged the body, buoyed by the water, back inside the cavern and onto shore. The group was now able to inspect a smaller ledge that was found to contain many valuables, the discovery of which sent Syxia into a giddy state of euphoria. They uncovered a magical helm, longsword and amulet in addition to approximately 160 gold coins, and a small nest of gold and silver items and gems. As they were inspecting the treasure hoard, Ur-Kadar cleaved off the drake’s head and Ba-bool appeared in the cavern. The party was concerned that Ba-bool had set them up and proceeded very cautiously. Ba-bool stepped forward and began scooping the coins into a pile near the drake’s now-headless body. After the items were collected, the party decided to return to the ship.
As they returned to the surface, the heroes saw a body plunge from a height and hit the water, near the side of the Swift Retribution. They recognized the mangled corpse as a member of the crew. They instantly assumed it was an ambush from the Sahuagin, but Ba-bool did not attack. Instead, he swam to the surface. Barrack climbed the anchor chain onto the deck and surprised two Sahuagin. On the ship were eight Sahuagin raiders, a Sahuagin priest and a vicious four-armed Sahuagin Baron. Syxia quickly navigated her way up the anchor chain and was followed by other party members. Marik, and to a lesser extent Ur-Kadar, had great difficulty climbing the chain due to their bulk. Jaeran provided inspiration and healing to the crew members as they attempted to hold off the sea-devils on the main deck; the party recognized that they were going to need Captain Weeden and his crew for the trip home. Barrack was busy bashing one Sahuagin off the ship with his shield when Ba-bool reached the quarterdeck. The party kept a keen eye on him, as they expected him to betray them. The Sahuagin, who appeared to have slightly different coloration from those attacking the crew, raised his trident and leapt off the quarterdeck onto two enemies below. It was clear from these actions that Ba-bool was a friend who wished to kill these raiders.
Jaeran created an area of Consecrated Ground in an effort to clear space for the party. He also managed to heal allies within it, including Ba-bool, and harm his enemies. In short order, the party retook the quarterdeck and pushed their way onto the main deck of the ship. On the other side of the ship, the crew managed to kill one of the Sahuagin attackers and then focused their attacks on the other. The priest fired waterbolts at the party, occasionally slamming a hero with a ferocious blast of water. The mighty four-armed Baron was temporarily focused on slaying Ba-bool until the party advanced on him. The priest unleashed a Spectral Shark which appeared and closed its jaws around Syxia. The Baron proved to be a very able combatant, attacking with his magical trident and two claws. Luke cast a Prismatic Spray of colorful arcane energy that dazed several of those on the deck, allowing Syxia to strike the Baron for significant damage; it also allowed the party to reposition themselves. The tide of the battle then turned in favor of the party. The Sahuagin refused to yield, but ultimately fell to the party’s combined powers. They collected a magical trident, which was given to Ba-bool, and several pieces of gold jewelry. The crew and party threw the dead Sahuagin overboard, and recovered the body of the slain crewman in order to return his body to Inequity for proper burial. The crew then prepared the sails and rigging for a swift voyage, and the ship made for Inequity with all speed, bearing the party, their loot and the head of the drake back to port.
The ship returned to Inequity to cheers. Upon disembarking, the heroes marched up to the keep to see Lord Braccus. They were told to wait 10 minutes, although he showed up almost immediately. Braccus congratulated them and paid them 600 gold coins on the spot. He said that the head of the Sea Drake must be shown around the town for a while to prove that the beast was indeed dead, and then the party could do what they wanted with it. The party assisted a few guardsmen in hanging the head of the Sea Drake in the harbor for all to view. After several hours, and a multitude of visitors, the guards gave the head back to the party, who promptly marched it over to the Knaves and Knives, the seedy drinking establishment catering to a rough crowd. Geirston Murtha thanked them and told them that whenever they come in, the first drink will always be on him. Word quickly spread throughout the tavern that the three ships in port were leaving on the morrow, so the seaman (and the motley assortment of brigands that also passed for crewmen) in Inequity were living it up – Syxia was forced to politely decline numerous offers of companionship for the night. The heroes all had their fill of sea stories and drinking games and returned to the Black Gull, as the party would soon be serving as guards for Braccus’ journey to Folkestone. The lord said that he had arranged for six of his best men to accompany him to Folkestone, but explained that this bare handful of men were all he could afford to take, as the rest of his forces were needed to protect Inequity while he was away. He also pointed out that he was paying the party to provide protection. They had arranged to leave early the next morning, and spent the remainder of the evening telling their tales in the tavern of the Black Gull. As usual, and dreading another wilderness trek, Syxia retired early for a bubble bath and to wash her hair. After many rounds of ale and a night of feasting and revelry, the party spent a restful night at the inn.
The heroes rose early and met Braccus and his men a short time after sunrise. They planned to follow the road, as it was the fastest and most direct route to the town of Folkestone. Braccus travelled in a covered coach (into the comforts of which Syxia tried – and failed – to talk her way into; her back-up plan failed, too: she was going to talk about it constantly until Braccus gave in. Needless to say, he never did so), with four mounted soldiers and two crossbowmen riding on and driving the coach. On the first day of the journey, Jaeran, Luke and Marik performed the Sending ritual anew; this time, Luke managed to get a response from his father. Erdan reported that “I am fine. I have escaped from Gorshak and am heading to safety. How is Luthien? Erdan.” The fact that his father had escaped pleased Luke, but he was puzzled as to the identity of Luthien. Jaeran sent his message to Neltharian, and the Wizard responded “This is disturbing and confirms my suspicions. Unfortunately, we have much to discuss. We’ll talk when you arrive.” The party was very cautions going through Skylde Gate Pass. Syxia carefully inspected the Keep and found no signs whatsoever of Orcs. After a few days of uneventful travel, the caravan reached Folkestone without incident or issue.
Upon their arrival in Folkestone, Barrack and Ur-Kadar escorted Braccus to the Keep while the others went to meet Neltharian. Syxia scanned the crowds without success for any sign of Belandor, the handsome guard corporal who had once threatened to physically restrain her when summoning her to a meeting with Jessup after she had threatened a town notable; after that encounter, the comely devil-maiden had become smitten with the chiseled guardsman, and she was very disappointed that she had not seen him again. In fact, the party had retained the magical longsword plundered from the Sea Drake’s lair, and planned to present the enchanted blade to Belandor in order to build up goodwill (and an ally) in Folkestone.
As the party entered Neltharian’s shop, the Wizard welcomed them and said that he had much to discuss with the party. Luke produced the note that was recovered from the demon-cultist temple. Neltharian read the document and without looking up muttered, “So, it is as I feared.” He hesitated a moment, and then told the party that he had not always been as forthcoming as he could have been. He apologized, and explained that he would like to shed some light on things. He recalled the story that he had previously told the party regarding the events that had occurred just over 2,000 years ago.
At that time, a group of humans and Tielflings opened up nine portals, in sequential order, and at specific places of power, which allowed Orcus, demon lord of the abyss, and his horde of demons to enter the world. They spread destruction all over Soltara and reduced the land to chaos. The Elves retreated to the darkest parts of their forest homes, the Dwarves withdrew to their mountain fortresses, the Dragonborn were very nearly wiped off of Soltara completely, the Halflings hid and the humans were pushed to the far corners of the world. A group of heroes emerged, led by the human Wizard Angronomir. With the help of certain now-legendary artifacts, these heroes were successful in stemming the tide, rallying Soltara’s defenses and pushing back the hordes from the Abyss. They succeeded in finally casting Orcus back into the Abyss and sealing the gate. Upon sealing the gate, Angronomir’s staff was shattered into eight pieces; rumors hold that the eight pieces of the staff were scattered over what is now Wysteria. Legend has it that if the staff could be reassembled, it would reawaken the powerful wizard who disappeared after the battle was won.
Neltharian said that in addition to searching for the places of power, he had been searching for the fragments of Angronomir’s staff, because it would be exceptionally helpful in closing the gates. He told the party that he believed that he knew where two of the pieces were. The first is in the Fen of Forgotten Souls, to the wild and uninhabited lands east of Folkestone. He believed that the second piece of the staff was acquired by the wizard Balthazar and that this piece of the staff is most likely hidden and well-protected in the ancient castle of that worthy. Neltharian went on to note that Balthazar had not been seen in over 1,000 years.
With that now weighing on the minds of the heroes, Luke inquired about his father and the identity of the “Luthien” to whom his father had referred. Neltharian explained that Luthien Greenleaf was also a member of the Order of Candrical. He was an Elven Ranger who assisted Neltharian in finding either the locations of power or the possible sites wherein the pieces of Angronomir’s lost and scattered staff might be secreted. Luke then told Neltharian of the dead Elf they found at the temple. Neltharian was saddened upon hearing this news, and confirmed that it was probably Luthien. This explained why he had been unable to contact the Elf. Luke then asked what, if anything, this had to do with his father, and informed Neltharian that the party had found his father’s cloak at the temple along with Luthien’s body. Neltharian explained that Luke’s father is the liaison between the Elven kingdom of Avalar and the Order of Candrical, and that Luthien and Erdan had been friends since they were adolescents; Erdan often accompanied Luthien on his journeys. Neltharian suspected that Luthien’s death would weigh heavily on Erdan. The Wizard also mentioned that he found something that might be a connection to The Animator, and went on to state that he had learned that there was man, a recluse, living in Carrowheel that goes by the name Danelious Zharam; this may very well be Dzaram.
In the meantime, Barrack and Ur-Kadar met with Braccus and Jessup at the Keep. The King was already in Folkestone, and the assembled lords were waiting for Lord Titus Alderwald to arrive from Carrowheel. The fighting-men and the lords had a civil conversation, and Braccus told Jessup about how the party had helped him by killing the Sea Drake and cleaning out the Orcs from Skylde Gate Keep. Ur-Kadar filled Jessup in on the cultists at the jungle temple. Jessup said that the King had informed the lords that things were turning bleak in the north. Pernholde, a small city southeast of Gartmoore (on the border with Wysteria), had come under attack by a large force of goblins. Had it not been for the presence of a courageous band of five heroes (among whom were counted the renowned human Sorcerer Arclyte and the daring Halfling Rogue Tanith “Shadowcat” Darkraven), including two who lost their lives in the defense of the place, it would have fallen. The city was being fortified and reinforced, but all were very concerned. The scouts on the northern border with Dunemaul had reported increased activity and other signs of trouble. Also, there had been reports of ominous signs of increasing trouble in the dark forest of Ravenwoode. In essence, the King has found himself forced to focus on reinforcing the northern borders, and because of this, he does not have a great deal of resources with which to defend the southern cities. As Jessup finished and all present were lost in deep thought, the warning bell at the gatehouse began to ring. The men rushed out of the Keep and toward the main gates of Folkestone. The party reformed there, the other four members meeting up with the fighting-men before the great gate. Two riders soon approached the main gates at speed, and the massive portals were swung wide to admit them. Led by Belandor, the town guardsmen quickly funneled the riders to the gates of the Keep. One was slumped over on his horse while the other was visibly wounded. Jaeran applied aid to both while the lead rider told Jessup that “Lord Titus Alderwald has fallen.” He explained that Orcs and Ogres ambushed them; while they did their best to defend their lord, once he fell they broke and made for Folkestone to inform the King. Jessup and Braccus quickly excused themselves and prepared to meet with the King.
While they were waiting, Barrack led the party to Gimmar Fellhammer, the Dwarven blacksmith of Folkestone. Gimmar said that he knows the location of the Dwarven hold of Draig Durrok, and pointed it out on one of the regional maps carried by Syxia. He told the heroes that while he was not from Draig Durrok, he knew of a small Dwarven hold on the western side of the rugged range of hills several miles north of the Path of Shadows, as that is where his family was originally from. He suggested that the heroes might wish to check there, in order to see if the Dwarves who dwelt there could provide any assistance. The group also paid a visit to Drachen Sylvanni, a leading merchant of Folkestone, to see what new magical (or otherwise useful) items he might have for sale – Syxia was crushed to learn that he did not have a pair of size 6 Acrobat Boots available. The heroes took a quick look at the available items, but bought none, and then returned to The Crested Cock, the reputable inn that had served as their former base of operations, to settle in and wait for Braccus.
The next morning, the heroes found a note from Braccus waiting for them downstairs, informing them that the King had appointed a new Lord of Carrowheel - Lord Sebastian Blackwell was to take over the defense of that town, and was to depart from Dunwin immediately. Braccus also noted that their council with the King would end later that day, and that he wished to return to Inequity on the following morning. The group tied up some loose ends in Folkestone, and spent a quiet evening waiting for Braccus. In the morning, they prepared to depart for Inequity.
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