Journal Entry 21

Adventure Journal - Session 21

The Folkestone heroes had reunited after most of the party's sortie into the Shadowfell. Ur-Kadar, brave paladin dedicated to slaying demons in the name of Bahamut; Jaeren, bane of demons, rebuking them with Pelor's radiance; Marik, wielder of eldritch powers; Luke, caster of apocalyptic magics; and Barrack, as indomitable as the hammer he wields. The group had regrouped in Folkestone after battling the fell forces of the dark fey and Barrack had nosed out some information regrading the Cult of Orcus' activities in Carrowheel.

The group spent the morning organizing their things about Folkestone, obtaining a letter of introduction from Lord Jessup and Luke went looking for his friend Pendingle. Pendingle was out of town on an “errand” for Neltharian. Luke sent a message to Pendingle, with Pendingle responding that he was fine and just in Inequity on en errand for Nelly. Luke questioned Nelly on what this errand was to which Nelly was evasive.

The group debated pursuing Pendingle to find out about his mission, but decided to travel to Carrowheel to investigate the cult of Orcus activities there. Early in the morning Neltharian gated the stalwart heroes to house Talnivarr to meet with his associate Rudifer Crumbley, a fellow agent of the Order of Candrical. Rudifer met the group and took them to a local inn to discuss what the cult of Orcus was doing in town. The Cult was doing their usual MO of kidnapping sailors on shore leave along with some of the other easily overlooked people in the larger town.

After the meeting with Rudifer the group headed to the towns keep to deliver their letter of introduction from Lord Jessup to Lord Blackwell. Lord Blackwell received the group and they exchanged information regarding these disappearances. The group was also warned against going into the Downspout, as it is commonly regarded as a “tough place”. The next stop for the party was Pots equipment store. Pottengal Mottlesworth, or Pots as he is known, is a disgustingly obese, unhygienic individual who was widely known to buy and sell enchanted items. Unfortunately, Pots required a password to do any business and was quite unhelpful in his disgusting way.

Next the group went around the corner to The Down Spout, a hive of debauchery and villainy that most respectable folk avoided. The group of course felt right at home. After speaking to the barkeep, looking for information, Marik and Barrack were directed to talk to Tarran Bradlethun. Nestled like a spider in the middle of a web of informants, Tarran traded what he new on the subject of the kidnappings for a small fortune in platinum. His prices were high, but his information was good and two days later the group had the locations for the houses the cult was using.

Upon receiving Lord Blackwell's blessings the group broke into the cult's safe house in town. After a brief search it was easily confirmed that this was a house being used to traffic in people. Blankets were strewn about the floor mixed with chains and manacles. After a little more searching some foul concoction was discovered, with Luke and Jaeren determining that this liquor would render any non-dwarf insensible for a time.

Verifying that Tarran's info was accurate at least this far, the group tromped out into the wilds, heading towards the manor house the Cult was using for it's base of operations. After a brief rest and reconnaissance, the group marched up the path to the manor's front door. Walking up under the bright mid day sun, there was no pretense at stealth. The front door to the house flew open and a troop of people marched out. The leader of the cultist demanded to know what the heroes wanted, with Barrack rapidly answering in a curt manner. Battle rapidly ensued. The fight went back and forth until Marik let loose with a series of attacks, blasting their warlock leader with his rod and then scorching two other minions with his acidic breath. With their leader down and their support gone the remaining soldiers were overcome, though even in dying they inflicted grievous wounds on the heroes.

Forcing their way inside, the heroes were immediately confronted with new foes. Another warlock, with his accompanying acolytes and guard and a fearsome canneloth demon! Jaeren and Ur-Kadar eagerly rushed the demon, unleashing their holy powers on it. Barrack broke right and began hurling his lesser hammer, menacing the foul warlock. Luke and Marik moves left rolling through another acolyte, further flanking the warlock and demon. The foul agents of demons put up some resistance, but Marik struck true, felling both the warlock and and his guard after the “avatar of Pelor” fell back out of the melee with the demon. After fumbling initially, Ur-Kadar finally connected with the demon, slaying it. Rapidly searching the main and upper floors revealed living space, but nothing sinister. The group then headed down the stairs into the basement to explore further.

At the bottom of the stairs the heroes discovered a secret door, through which an unfinished tunnel and a pool of drinking water were found. Further along this secret passage was a series of cages containing three still living captives in individual cages. All three captives were unconscious and the adventurers figured this was a mercy and let them sleep while they emptied out this den of evil. Through the next door our heroes encountered a summoning circle complete with a large tentacled demon. Combat ensued with the hapless demon beset on all sides. In addition to being stunned at the outset of combat it was confined by a blade barrier. As soon as it evaded the barrier it was thrown back into the whiling wall of blades by Barrack. It was quickly dazed forcing it to stay within the barrier, and it made short work of it. Behind a pair of curtains it was determined that the underground passage continued onward.

Shortly after the summoning circle room there was another intersection with a type of corrupted, foul chapel at the end with more twisted people in service of the cultist in desperate need of release from their lives. To this end the heroes quickly complied, dispatching the demon worshipping heretics with alacrity. During the battle, the party noticed a series of decorative skulls aligned at the end of three dead end passages. Upon touching two of them traps were set off, blasting Jaeren with lightning and scorching Barrack’s shield with fire.

Marik however was rapidly teleported to another room where a cultist was frantically turning dials on a dais in the middle of a pentagonal room. Marik noticed that the cultist had only had time to change three of the dials and that two of them were untouched as he sent the cursed pawn to his end on the end of his mighty spear. One each wall of the room was a door. Each of the dials were numbered 1-26, with the two untouched set to 5 and 18. Upon experimenting with one of the dials, turning one of the altered ones one increment, a door popped open and minor ape demons jumped out attacking the party. They were banished quickly, when Barrack pointed out that he knew of another mystical series containing 26 characters... the alphabet. Despite the protests of the wizard, the group discerned that this probably indicated that the dials formed a cipher with each number meaning a letter and they needed a password to move forward. Never crediting cultists with much creativity Barrack suggested they try the word “enter”. Turning the dials to the numbers that would correspond to the remaining letters in the word enter, another skull appeared for the group to move forward with.

Journal Entry 20

Journal Entry 19

Journal entry 18

Adventure Journal - Session 18

Having routed the frost dragon guarding a section of Agronomir’s staff in the Temple of Burning Ice– Barrack, a defensive minded dwarven Fighter, protector of the party; Marik, a dragonborn Warlock, inescapably bound to a pact made with the fey that grants him praeternatural powers; Jaeran, an elven Cleric upon whom Pelor has granted a modicum of divine power; Luke, a cloaked half-elf Wizard of arcane might; and Ur-Kadar, dragonborn Paladin of Bahamut, a holy warrior dedicated to upholding the tenets of his faith and dispensing justice with his powerful axe – the adventurers return to the troll cave to discover their companion - Syxia, a tiefling Rogue, dark daughter of a cursed bloodline, her ancestors given to the infernal worship of fiends – missing and the cave she was sheltering in showing great signs of battle.

Immediately Jaeran and Luke cast their spells and rituals to locate the party’s missing member, but to no avail. Though the castings were great she was beyond the magic’s ability to transverse, either by distance or misfortune. Being unable to gather any information on their missing companions and with an appointment with an old acquaintance drawing close the party determined to return to Folkestone and regroup. Gating into Neltharian’s basement yet again the party immediately ask him what he can do to find their missing companion. Neltharian informs the party that he needs some item to help attach a searching spell to, at which Luke hands over a pair of silken, frilly panties; undergarments that had gone missing some time before from Syxia’s possession. Saying he needs time for the spell Nelly excuses himself and the party heads into town to attend their various affairs.

Barrack and Ur-Kadar head to the newly built temple of Bahamut, with its shiny statuary and fresh appearance new converts to the church have been a regular occurrence. Jaeran travels to the temple of Pelor and has the above observation pointed out to him-resulting in a complete bankrupting of the elven priests funds to help maintain the temple’s position in the city. In exchange the high priest teaches the elf some much-desired rituals. Luke heads to the Crested Cock, as is his custom to find Pendingle, who is much sorrowed by falling in love with a woman of status. Marik goes looking for Drachen Silvani to see if any new magical toys are available with the wealth of a dragon’s horde (he leaves disappointed). The group meets up at the crested cock after their errands with Barrack telling Maldrick of the winter wolf pelts being made into rugs for the inn.

The next morning the party travels out into the woods to meet their previous companion Tolinyr. Barrack greets him and immediately begins questioning him about the Staff of Agronomir. Tolinyr gives the party a brief synopsis of where he has been (leaving Luke suspicious) indicating that he has joined a coalition of individuals trying to derail the cult of Orcus as well. Their plan has been to get ahead of the cult and find one of the seals before it is broken. Once such a location has been found it is their intention to fortify and defend it. The eladrin wizard also expounds saying how he might have exaggerated the danger that the staff presents, merely saying it could be used to enslave and summon demons in the wrong hands. Barrack tersely says, bah, it is merely a useful tool then, no more evil or good than the hand wielding it. Much less to worry about than they were initially led to believe. The party leaves Tolinyr, letting him know that if he or his mysterious group needs help (i.e. blunt force), they are more than willing to lend a hand to kill cultists.

Returning to town the group head directly to Neltharian's to see what he has learned. The great wizard has narrowed down Syxia’s location to near Dunwin in a manor that the group believes to be the estate of Valen Thantos, her father. The group immediately asks if Neltharian has a gate address in Dunwin, to which he replies yes. With the address in hand the group gathers their equipment and immediately head out in search of their lost friend. Using the gate address the party teleports half way across the continent and find themselves in a basement. Belatedly Barrack realizes that this gate is located in house Talnivarr, the wizarding house who would like to have a talk about a certain raid the group performed some time ago. Keeping their heads down and letting Luke do the talking they quickly get outside of the house and go looking for the seedy side of town.

The group goes through several plans, ranging from going through town trying to look incompetent and draw attention to them. They put out a contract for information on Syxia to which a poor report made the group refuse payment (information provided by Syxia’s brother). Despite the group’s efforts at being discrete and subtle, they returned to the modus operandi and mounted up and rode for the Thantos estate. They arrived and politely knocked on the gate, requesting to speak to Syxia. A servant returned and informed them that unfortunately Syxia has been slain. The group verbally pushed their way into an interview with Lord Valen and said their good byes over her grave. Jaeran queried whether efforts had been made to raise Syxia to which the answer was she was beyond saving.

Furious beyond words Barrack and Ur-Kadar started to verbally formulate plans for revenge. Syxia’s family offered them the hospitality of their guesthouse while they discuss family matters. They could possibly be able to help with avenging Syxia. In the morning the party sat down and was informed that Syxia’s family wanted vengeance for their daughter/sister’s demise. Despite there being no love lost, there was a matter of pride and honor involved. However they could not take direct action without inviting further reprisals, an outside force could take action. Barrack adopted an ice-cold smile and simply said point us in the direction.

The next morning, armed with the gate address of Syxia’s former fiancé, Zarunkumar Argus, the group teleported into the basement of House Argus. Two startled guards leapt to their feet to stop the intruders. Barrack and Ur-Kadar barreled into them with Luke and Marik raining deadly spells upon their head quickly defeating them, but the damage was done, the house was alerted to the group’s presence. Racing upstairs the group encountered their first resistance at the top of the master stair. Standing guard to a double door was a trio of tiefling guards. Adopting their standard formation with Barrack and Ur-Kadar up front, a pair of tiefling black blades attacked from behind striking the group’s more vulnerable members. The group divided their efforts between the fronts with Luke sending one of the backstabbers over the rail as he was unable to resist a hypnotic illusion. The door guards were beginning to fall when the tiefling rogue still upstairs suddenly disappeared only to reappear behind Luke stabbing him with his poisoned blade. The rest of the tieflings were quickly overwhelmed. The tiefling recovered from his fall and ran back up the stairs. He was met by Marik and Ur-Kadar and he suddenly turned invisible as well. Surprising everyone Barrack suddenly hurled his throwing hammer at empty space. Even more surprising was the hammer stopping, striking the invisible tiefling up the side of the head. The injured tiefling stumbled through the double doors out of sight.

The party waited a minute to catch their breath before barreling through the doors to confront the master of the house. Battle was immediately met without quarter neither asked for nor given. A wall of fire was thrown up to slow the tieflings along one flank, thinking that even if it couldn’t harm them, at least it would slow them down. Zarunkumar, however, found it useful and he mentally threw Luke into his own spell! Barrack stayed back with Jaeran and Luke keeping the sword swingers off so that they may cast their spells. Ur-Kadar rushed the tiefling lord, slamming him into the back wall of the room, in retaliation Ur-Kadar was spelled and hurled across the room. The battle raged on, when most of the guardsmen fallen, Barrack charged Zarunkumar and began hammering into him. This gave Ur-Kadar a chance to engage the tiefling and between the two heroes the dark master quickly went down. The remaining tieflings posed little resistance after their father fell, falling quickly to the heroes. The house was raided for loot and soaked with oil and other consumables, and then set alit. By comparing their fallen foes to various portraits in the main hall, they conclude that there is one member of House Argus unaccounted for. The heroes gated out as the fire built, returning to Folkestone, with Syxia avenged they could return to the business of stopping the cult of Orcus.