TABLE OF CONTENTS

THE SPEAKER IN DREAMS p.1 THE SHACKLED CITY ADVENTURE PATH p.3

I. Life's Bazaar p.4II. Drakthar's Way p.10

III. Flood Season p.17IV. Zenith Trajectory p.31V. The Dæmonskar Legacy p.43

VI. Those Who Heard p.51VII. Secrets of the Soul Pillars p.58VIII. Lords of Oblivion p.59IX. Foundation of Flame p.60X. Thirteen Cages p.61

XI. Strike on Shatterhorn p.62XII. Asylum p.63

╔══════════════════╗═══════════════╣THE SPEAKER IN DREAMS╠═══════════════

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WATERSDAY, PATCHWALL 19TH, 593 CY

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EARTHDAY, PATCHWALL 20TH, 593 CY

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FREEDAY, PATCHWALL 21ST, 593 CY

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STARDAY, PATCHWALL 22ND, 593 CY

Was bound and gagged; Destro missingThrown before bone devil and two minions, plus militiaEscaped from bonds while party came to rescue, slaughtering all before themWeakened bone devil with ray; Paladin and others shred/died (?), Sully finishes with leaping attackMost equipment GONE — VIOLATED!!Help Sully's mom brew antitoxin to aid PaladinResting a spell, Sully speaks with Sylvia; returns warning of house-to-house searchesFix Sully's basement/cellar to hide us"Those Who Hear" = Watch HillSylvia came to explain the situation, looking haggardShe didn't know about assassins, but Baron didPelor temple attacked; explore keep suggestedShuma arrestedSully says halfling encampment knows a lotPerhaps a way into the temple?Sully will try to get on guard duty for North Gate TowerCrossing attempt at midnight

SUNDAY, PATCHWALL 23RD, 593 CY

Emerged from Sully's house; sneaked up upon a hellcat and slaughtered it. Traversed to far wall and climbed up, but Paladin made a ruckus alerting a bone devil. It could not follow. Taken by halfling to Dentheria after traversing the woods and crossing the water into the halfling camp. Modeir and two other elder halflings treat with us, the others being suspicious of us; the

meeting occurs upon a halfling-sized house boat, of which the Paladin can't fit through the door. Spoke about the recent martial law; some halflings trapped inside. There is a river gate to the keep, guarded by a fiendish elasmosaurus. Basement of the temple guarded by hellhounds. Offered meals by our generous hosts. Taken to an empty boat for rest into morning; being offered a reward of 2,400 gp to release their comrade, Elder Ich (?), near Market Street. A heavy iron gate into the temple guarded by hellhounds, which we assault. The others did such quick work, I hardly had to lift a finger.+IN THE TEMPLE BASEMENT+

An unseen servant fails to open a trap door above us, so the Paladin takes charge. In the kitchen above is found an imp, which Vale grabs, in turn making sounds via pots and pans. An osyluth, according to the imp, is coordinating the takeover; that was the end of "Pez" as Vale popped its head off. The kitchen lead to a hallway, the door ripped off. The kitchen was a mess. The Paladin detects evil radiating everywhere, as can the sound of Draconic. Huge pillar of flame in the center of a large room with a bone devil proceeding over it. Toenail sneaks around while the devil stares at the flame followed by Muster, destroying it. The temple contains 2,600 gold pieces worth of treasure. From the hall emerges a cloaked figure and two hellhounds calling for the imp. Vale engages after being by the plate-clad figure with both barrels (?), blasting through him and his hounds. The portal is closed by Korvid.

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Enter second floor, kicking open door, entropic shield, invisibility purge, and bull's strength surrounds a cleric tiefling with a heavy flail, crossbow attack missing pirate. He falls quick to the pirate and cleric's onslaught. Halfling vendors on boats headed out of town, stocking up on spider climb potions

NIGHT. Spider climb outer/inner wall of keep, reaching balcony. See baron catatonic. Ogre mage guards door, also mind flayer — rogue tells servants about. Flayer on balcony. Roof has bone devil and barghasts. Courtyard has guards. Pirate leaps off to surprise the flayer; rogue & Destro struck down by mind blast seven rounds.; devil alerted. Mind flayer was shot; reinforcements begin to appear. Pirate grabbed in the face by the flayer, but escapes, tearing off the tentacles. Pirate fires up as he falls, striking once where it hurts. Finished by the ranger. Guards and baron collapse; all else enraged. Bone devil grapples with paladin. Destro shakes out of it. Paladin blasts other barghasts off after further tackling. Ogre leaps upon paladin, pirate, devil, and barghasts. Quintessa weakens a barghast before her to full affect. Devil slaughters its way through, slaying the ogre. Paladin stands firm, guarding cleric. A barghast pounces pirate beneath ogre. Pirate is out. Barghast bounces off paladin's protection. Cleric heals pirate; pirate flanks devil, as paladin blocks it. Ranger levitates to shoot devil. Paladin calls down the thunder and slays devil. Finish barghasts.

NEXT DAY. Dark clouds appear overhead as crowd begins to follow us, growing, cheering. Baron and retinue recover. VICTORY!!

╔════════════════════════════╗══════════╣  THE SHACKLED CITY ADVENTURE PATH   ╠══════════

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ALEX == Human Wizard == BILLBRYCE == Gnome Lyric Thaumaturge == "Z"HUNTER == Elf Ghost-Faced Killer == DENNISO COLESCENT

== // Drow Beastmaster == // SANTANA(CARLOS,FLEETWOOD, Bears)== // Half-Elf Fighter == // DREGS "GALAGHER" GARFUNKLE

JEN == Human Monk == GENKIRK == Human Necromancer == CURWENMICHAEL == Human Wizard == ERI KIUWKEMIKE == Human Paladin == STEPHENRANDY == Half-Orc Barbarian == STINKEYEROB == Human Sorceress == QUINTESSA (FI'JIT, Quasit)SAL == Drow Assassin == ZYN ARGITH (PANTHER, Onyx figurine)TYLER == Halfling Druid == LIZAVINCENT == Dwarf Dwarven Defender == KORMAN DUSKANSHIELD

== // Human Paladin == // LEBRECHT== // Human Knight == // HELMUTH ULRICH HEINRICH== // Human Fighter == // FREDERICK== // Shade Rogue == // DRRAK== // Dwarf Fighter == // ARJACK ROCKFIST

╔════════════════════════════╗══════════╣  THE SHACKLED CITY ADVENTURE PATH   ╠══════════

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Locking up her alchemy shop, "Quintessence," the sorceress, Quintessa, graced her presence before a costume party dressed as a bodacious bunny, over-indulging in the night's festivities… and ended the night lost among the twisting streets and darkened alleyways of Cauldron, finding herself joined by a rag-tag group…

LIFE'S BAZAAR MOONDAY, FIRESEEK 10TH, 594 CY

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SUNDAY, COLDEVEN 2ND, 594 CY

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MOONDAY, WEALSUN 3RD, 594 CY

DUSK.. Aided cleric of St. Cuthbert, Ruphus Laro, who was being mugged in an alleyway whilst he was searching for four missing orphans. "The Last Laugh" thieves guild; town guard hired these thugs who bore black and white face paint. Hired by "Jil" to send a clear message to the Church of St. Cuthbert. Party guided Ruphus to the white marble Church of St. Cuthbert and met with his acting superior, Jenya Urikas, who served in the stead of Sarcem Delasharn, who was away attending ceremonies in the capital of Sasserine. The party is offered hot tea and wine as Ruphus left with an acolyte. The elderly but spry superior greeted the party.

Deakon Stormshield, Evelyn Radavec, Lucinda Aldreen, and Terrem Kharatys — the four missing orphans, as she began to explain. The children were locked into their rooms at night, thus making their disappearance all the more peculiar. Low-to-middle-class citizens had also been kidnapped elsewhere. Rumors about a tavern called "The Slippery Eel" was left little bothered by the guards; thought to be a hot spot for the thugs. Lord Orbius Vhalantru led the town guard. Kidnappings had occurred at night during a new moon.

Lady Jenya used the divination power of a great +1 holy heavy mace, "The Star of Justice," to help find the children, receiving a cryptic message. She mused that the message may have spoken of the locksmith, Keygan Ghelve, who built the locks for the orphanage and of the curtains within his shop. There were also gear-shaped doors in a gnome's enclave she spoke of, and a hidden fortress where a half-troll slaver may have kept the children.

"The locks are key to finding them.Look beyond the curtain, below the cauldron,But beware the doors with teeth.Descend into the malachite 'hold,Where precious life is bought with gold.Half a dwarf binds them, but not for long."

The party was further equipped for their anointed quest, and rested at the temple.

GODSDAY, WEALSUN 4TH, 594 CY

MORNING. The party payed a visit to the orphanage, being received by a gruff, old halfling woman, Gretchyn Tashykk. "Z" snuck off, followed by Arjack Rockfist, discovering the locks were finely wrought. She mentioned that Keygan forged them years before for a heavy price. Other words including the dwarf, Jaromir Copperbeard, a gardener; Temar Flagonstern, human cook; Neva Fanister, human nurse; Willow Atherfell, half-elf schoolteacher; Patch, half-orc janitor. Each had worked for the orphanage for years and the old woman trusted them.

One of the young boys, Andro, had previously had a nightmare about an evil gnome with crooked teeth. It was mentioned that two town guards investigated the kidnapping the day after, followed by two half-elven investigators, Fario Ellegoth and Fellian Shard, Striders of Fharlanghn, the day after that operated by the town mayor. Both groups showed genuine concern.

The party came across Patch, and "Z" guilted him into spilling the beans — about his working with the Last Laugh, and that Terrem was among them. Apparently they wanted Terrem specifically, especially Revus Twindaggers, a higher up in the organization. Apparently Terrem's dead parentage was of some importance to the halfling.

The party left the orphanage and headed towards the Lord-Mayor Severen Navalant's, a large, walled compound, an old structure and the traditional seat of power held by the family for

the last two-hundred years. The mayor was well-liked but others felt he was weak-willed. Alek Tercival, a paladin serving St. Cuthbert, had been out-of-town for several days and traveled towards the village of Redgorge to take care of a woman possessed by a dæmon. Gathering information, the bard learned one of the kidnapped orphans may have been the lord-mayor's bastard offspring.

A little old lady greeted the party at the door, but they were denied audience with the lord-mayor. However, a large list was presented to the party of the abductees. She also revealed no knowledge of prior investigators. Apparently there had also been hostile wildlife in the vicinity, and groups of cloaked figures had been jumping from rooftop-to-rooftop, one of which had also knocked the greeter down. The party then learned that there were no dæmonic possessions, but the paladin in Redgorge was conversing with "The Chisel" about corruption in the local government, and the lord-mayor is not missing a child.

The parents of one of the orphans, Deakon, were Dwern and Imogen Stormshield, two adventurers that might have perished long ago. As the party made their way, there was a feeling of being watched. As it turned out, two half-elves were tracking a rogue who was tracking the party; one of the two prior figures appeared as a rakish cleric, the other a more brutish fellow; Fellian and Fario were their names as they came before the party, declaring themselves as "Striders," followers of the God of Traveling. They were good folk, seeking to keep the balance in the realm. Being good friends with the half-elf wizard, Halfenstaff who had also disappeared, they wished to join the party. They spoke of the Cagewrights connected to the incidents.

In time the party made it before "Ghelve's Locks," a fairly well-built structure. The elderly yet sly Ghelve greeted them when they entered; appearing gnomish yet surprisingly tall, it was revealed that he walked well on stilts. Surrounded by the party, Ghelve spoke in hushed tones, warning that they weren't alone. "Z" orated, fascinating the one spying the party from above. Fascinated, it was utterly defenseless as Quintessa weakened him with her ray of enfeeblement before Arjack slaughtered it. The party then more intensely inquired Keygan Ghelve about the locks he made for the orphanage. Exploring his personal bedroom upstairs, a map of Jzadirune was found. It was also known that his rat familiar, Starbrow, had been kidnapped, his empathic link giving him a vision of grey-skinned, blue-eyed tall creatures and short, sinister creatures speaking what sounded as Undercommon; they took three skeleton keys from him. The beings were housed in what appeared to be Jzadirune, his memory of which was sketchy at best but it was well-warded.

Beyond a curtain behind the counter, there was an old grandfather clock at the base of a stairwell, the stairwell containing a secret doorway on the side.

EVENING. After dealing with Keygan, the party headed toward "The Drunken Morcoth," the most popular inn in the city. "Z," using his oratory capabilities to his fullest, roused the attention of the ensemble (and comped free drinks and meals). Quintessa got a head-start at a drinking contest, but fell quickly before Arjack and Stinkeye. Fario, more sober, learned of a horror that had befallen a nearby lake, and that this was not the first city to be built in the crater; beneath the humble structures laid the ruins of a previous realm, a city built by a strange race of monsters.

WATERSDAY, WEALSUN 5TH, 594 CY

Returned to Ghelve's Locks with renewed vigor, standing before the secret door that descended down into darkness. "Z" and Fario discovered the tracks of hoofs and a human-sized 'bear' – skulk tracks. The party followed one landing before descending to another, hearing the sounds of animals in the distance. Entering a large room revealed a large doorway opposite the stairs where a cool wind emanated, and gear-shaped doors bore glyphs to the south, opposed by a wall of gnome-faced masks: it was the ruins of Jzadirune. One of the masks spoke, welcoming the party. Fario and Fellian attempted to open the western door that was locked, but it still barred them, nearly suffering from corrosive gas for their troubles. In a second attempt, Fario disabled it.

"Z" peeked through the eastern door that was ajar to reveal a dusty room of cots and chests. A sudden strike misses before the attacker ran off, followed by another failed blow – skulks! "Z" slayed the second in retaliation. Exploring the old room, the party found within the chests old gear and off-white tabards bearing the gear-shaped symbol of Jzadirune. Leaving the room, the party once more examined the western door, which led into a dusty hallway beyond. More glyphs on the wall further revealed the history of the ancient college, and a room at the end was decorated with dusty shields and half-platemail. Rockfist smashed open a chest filled with more old but useful gear; the chest also hid a secret compartment – a cursed wand of burning hands, infected with "The Vanishing," a horror that befell those using such magical totems. Another secret room was revealed by Fario and Fellian, bearing a pit trap underneath. Quick reflexes and a spot of luck enabled Fellian to leap to safety… but the same could not be said of

the dwarf fighter who stumbled mindlessly upon it, causing the activation. Arjack was pulled to safety, albeit injured as the trap began to reset. The party traversed the trap with greater care, entering a small room surrounded by circular doors.

Beyond a set of double doors laid a grand court revealing the full splendor of the realm of Jzadirune; anything of consequence had long since been removed, however. A smaller door contained what appeared to be the trap's controlling mechanism. Within one of the rooms, amid broken rubble, Arjack found a particular key — one designated to unlock the gear doors and disable their traps. Following this, his experience with stonework enabled him to discover a fresher passage. At the end the party found themselves within a room with another passage at its end, and yet another to the north leading up. The gnomish tongue is immediately heard, "Z" translating the message as "attack all intruders," followed by a damaged automaton that reacted only to such words — the "pulverizer." A deep-blue spinal is embedded within its chest, serving as its magical "heart." The same room housed a rod bearing the runic equivalent of an "A."

By the bard's command, the automaton attempted to enter through the north passage and is damaged, leading it to smash it in a mechanical rage but leaving not even a dent. The "heart" is removed, an expensive bauble that left the automaton inert. Without its help, "Z" attempted to unlock the otherwise immovable door. As the party found an alternate route, an ethereal marauder successfully snuck up behind them, striking Fellian. Alerted, "Z" inspired the others while the half-elf retreated to a safer position to recover. Stinkeye charged forward and cleaved it in twain. Returning to the task at hand the party entered a shield-shaped room cluttered, which Quintessa ordered to be cleaned by her unseen servant. In exploring a glass-blowing shoppe, Fellian was once more attacked by a shadowy figure – Yuathyb the dark stalker. "Z" stepped forward with a friendlier demeanor, able to rapport with him. The stalker appeared manic… and translucent: infected by the Vanishing. Irritable, Quintessa fired a ray from her fingertip but it passed straight through him.

Diplomacy was reached between the two, a promise of no harm to either side and a realization that the stalker has no affiliation with the skulks. Yuathyb had also seen the rat familiar within Jzadirune, in a room beyond the eastern gear door ajar. He also spoke of "the grell," a fierce, tentacled creature that was also to be tread carefully, but Yuathyb promised a reward for its death. The party continued onward into a green-marbled room decorated with armor and various treasures. Stumbling around, Stinkeye knocked over the suit of armor to reveal a large cache of silver pieces; Fellian, more sensibly, checked a nearby door, locating another suit of armor bearing a gnome-hooked hammer and a treasure chest. Upon kicking it over, the suit of armor rose up and attacked — a dread guard. Inspired by the bard's music, Quintessa fired her crossbow — a clean hit disassembling the suit. The chest it was guarding, however, appeared empty to all but Fellian; disbelieving it, he found treasures within.

As the party recovered, Arjack discovered a secret door revealing a relatively clean room with three more chests, albeit empty. This led them to backtracking to the original room bearing the cog doors; beyond the initially and once locked "A" door was a dusty office and a rod bearing the runic equivalent of an "R." With little else, the party rested for the "evening."

EARTHDAY, WEALSUN 6TH, 594 CY

Morning, as they assumed, as the party used Yuathyb's directions to find their way through the dungeon via a different route, eventually making their way into the blacksmith's quarters. Fario, examining the room, discovered the "I" rod, while "Z" traveled further to discover a barred iron door. Ganging up on it, the more brutish adventurers crushed the wall to reveal a large chamber with marble pillars and spiral staircases. Amid glowing lights and mosaics echoed the sound of clanging gears… a sound that proved to be a figment. Ignoring it, the party carefully made their way upstairs to find a large, tentacled beast lacking in senses – the grell. The bard, more daring than most, snuck up to strike it before running… but the beast, aware, barely missed with its tentacle. With that, the horror of the beast comes full front, suffering a brutal strike by the barbarian, Stinkeye, and a clean piercing by Quintessa's crossbow, felling the grell.

Two rooms, east and west, and a false wall opposite the prior entrance are all that remain. A gear door bearing a glowing "I" was found, opened with the appropriate rod to reveal an ancient classroom bearing another secret door. Charging ahead, Stinkeye resisted a poisonous trap that would have slowed lesser men. Working together the parties broke through a weakly-built wall, revealing a long, dusty hallway marred by deep chasms. Daring not to tread, the party returned to the classroom to regain their bearings before making their way into the other discovered room, covered in broken stone rubble and offering only limited visibility – an obscuring mist. In their fumbling around the party awakened a swarm of "small" centipedes, inflicting a fearsome wound upon the necromancer, Curwen. They were more fear-inducing than life-

threatening, however, as the party made mince-meat out of them. Afterwards "Z" examined fans up in the ceiling attached to ancient generators, before discovering a room bearing spiders and an illusion: an old figure bearing a ruby named "Emery," offering the party a warning before disappearing.

Beyond this laid a hall leading into a new room with a covered object. Grinding noises are heard when the sheet is removed, which revealed a polarizing automaton bearing gnomish inscriptions. "Z," a gnome, called out in his native tongue to deactivate it. After removing its "heart," another expensive spinal, the party made their way down a rubble-strewn path… and a door marked with another runic letter. Metal wreckage and broken gear laid about, which included a partially built automaton, and more gear-shaped doors, one marked with the runic letter for "U," and the other being more familiar. Moving too close, the automaton strikes Fario before it escaped from the party. Following it, the party discovered another, similar mech beneath a pile of rags. As they worked together, the arcanists believed that these particular automatons were being controlled as these did not follow the bard's commands. Examining it, "Z" believed it to be another skulk. With such a discovery, the foul fiend was slaughtered, with its mechanical companion following shortly thereafter. The smoke cleared, which revealed an alchemy lab and the discovery of the "U" key.

Two secret doors were found, with the party having examined the eastern most portal. Within it laid open cabinets of dispelled potions, their powers removed for fear of the Vanishing. Another secret door in the north-east corner was soon discovered, its door knocked clean off its hinges… revealing a room of cots and empty chests the party had previously traversed through. Past its cog-shaped door, "Z" suggested revisiting the perceived generators. Further examination revealed one missing several gears, preventing its use, whilst the others appeared operational… along with the discovery of a nearby lever with an attached rope. Upon the bard's activation of it, ancient fans returned to their intended use. With some examination and tinkering, the broken generator was repaired and followed its brethren. Returning to the forge, the party discovered a secret compartment that had been missed earlier, with a hallway beyond leading to a dust-choked T-shaped corridor and a passage north. The northern passage led to an octagonal room bearing a loom and similar equipment. When Quintessa stepped toward it, the loom began moving all its own; she dispelled it out of disgust and annoyance. Further movement north revealed a trap; spears that impaled throughout the long corridor. The party was injured but not slowed; Fario quickly disabled it, whilst the sorceress discovered a spell that otherwise hid the spears' presence.

Beyond the corridor showed a large and empty, albeit palatial-looking room. At one time it might have been a warehouse for arms and armor. Leaving dejectedly, the party traveled south through a little used passage, bypassing much that had already been visited. In time the party came across what appeared to be a small forest of low-laying trees, sunlight filtering through from above. In the far corner laid a pile of rubble, however, which "Z" and Fellian searched through, finding a secret door… with literally nothing blocking their way; the forest was an illusion, a hallucinatory terrain spell. Beyond the secret door was a dark tunnel, utilized by the skulks and other creepers, with an "R" door across an a "D" door to the north. Beyond the "R" door laid a small room bearing a heavy chest and the long-sought after rat familiar, "Starbrow." Fellian examined the chest for traps… only to discover the chest was the trap; a foul mimic. It spoke undercommon, understood by Quintessa: "I'll let you take the rat in return for a weeks worth of rations or treasure." The party attempted to bluff it with their own foul equipment, but the creature would have none of that as Stinkeye struck it critically with its axe. The mimic was as durable as its chest form made it appear, however, inflicting a slam upon the barbarian nearly as deadly. Curwen attempts to weaken it, with the ensuing combat knocking the rat's cage to the ground and away. The half-orc suffered another fierce blow before being recovered by Fellian. "Z" inspired the troops, while the sorceress incinerated the beast.

Quintessa stepped back, as her magic began to fail her, watching the mimic dash forward to grapple Arjack, crushing the dwarf in its iron grip. Unable to break free, the fighter resorted to headbutting it. A chill touch from Curwen weakened the mimic enough to allow Arjack to escape its clutches. Fario loosed a bolt while the sorceress loosed her fiendish viper familiar, Destro; however, its magical fangs were not enough to pierce its hide. In retaliation the mimic began to ooze a foul substance, reaching out towards the dwarf again; Arjack fell unconscious, glued to it. In a rage Stinkeye landed a blow, albeit softened by the glue as his blade joined his companion in its temporary imprisonment. With his renowned luck, "Z" loosed an arrow right between its figurative eyes; deadly, but not enough to free the barbarian's blade. Wavering, the mimic fainted the necromancer, giving Fellian an opening for a quick stab. Arjack, gained a second wind and freede himself to strike the killing blow.

FREEDAY, WEALSUN 7TH, 594 CY

The party rested and mused over all they had discovered; that skulks had captured slaves, sold them to hobgoblins, and worked with "dark ones" such as Yuathyb and one called "Kazmojen." Having spoken with the rat, Starbrow, "Z" learned of a secret door, opened soon thereafter by Arjack. The rat was still caged, requiring a special key beyond the door held by a skulk, by its own words — quickly knocked unconscious by the fighter after he charged through. Fellian and Quintessa spoke with the skulk in its native tongue and learned what they could from the craven lot. One such piece of info involved an acidic slime pit. The party used other information to find a room that depicted images of gnomish warriors, of better days gone by. It widened toward the farthest end with a pool in the middle; the sound of trickling water abounded. The party searched out leads to the discovery of an "E" door and a "U" door, as well as more skulks whom fled before the party. Arjack moved some rubble and discoved a rich, silvery box that contained a crank. Stairs to the west, stairs to the east, they led into a tunnel. "R" door, west. "E" and "U," east.

Opening the "U" door revealed a human prisoner, Eri Kiuwke, a wizard, trapped within a room for "honored guests." Adding him to the party, the skulk "led" the adventurers to yet another secret door toward hobgoblins, confused by the party's sudden intrusion. Despite "Z" and Quintessa's attempt to waylay them with words, Arjack bullheadedly charged at them, followed by Fario and Stinkeye, bringing slaughter and ruin before them. A thrown javelin narrowly missed the sorceress, but her return throw ended in similar failure. In time, the hobgoblins were diminished; during the conflict the skulk "guide" had its own life snuffed out. The bard's dancing lights revealed absolutely nothing from an old elevator shaft which led to a large octagonal room underground, the Malachite Fortress.

The fortress had been erected to guard against incursions from the Underdark, as Quintessa learned by studying the room. Zenith Splintershield, a righteous dwarven defender, was their leader; a Shackleborn dwarf being held prisoner in Bahl-Hamatugn, vanished into the Underdark after leading his best warriors into a failed battle. A shaft had been more recently connected to a room beyond. Kazmojen, a half-troll/half-dwarf, came to the fortress a year before with a small force of hobgoblins and incarcerated the few remaining defenders, and built up his slave-trading business. The octagonal room was made of a smooth, black rock — the aptly-named malachite. Curwen stayed behind to study further and keep their backs guarded. A small room to the south revealed the control mechanisms. Another room beyond revealed a strange statue surrounded by airborne cages. Eri claimed to have been here before, but bore few helpful memories. Stepping closer to the statue caused it to swing at "Z," before it fully engaged the party. Many attacks were ineffective against its hide, freeing it to grab Arjack and slammed him to the ground. However, weakened by Quintessa, the bard's bow, fueled by his music, shattered the creature.

Before "Z" and Quintessa could open their mouths, Rockfist charged forward… again… toward an ogre, Xukasus, that had broken into the room. The fighter misses, giving Eri a chance to inflict a deadly strike. This, combined with the sorceress' ray of enfeeblement, allowed the party to surround the beast. A failed incineration by the sorceress opened up another series of strikes, with Fario getting in a sneak attack. A mean swing from Stinkeye's axe linked with a minor stab of the rogue, freeing up Arjack to strike, yet miss. "Z" made up for it with a pluck of his bow, hiding a moment later (despite singing). The ogre turned to strike, only to be engulfed in Quintessa's flaming sphere and falling prey to Eri's strike, finally felling it. Once quiet, the party quickly followed the creature's putrid scent to its secret cove, covered in its filth and bearing an iron chest that was surprisingly difficult to open which contained its valued possessions… and a foul but safe place to rest.

STARDAY, WEALSUN 8TH, 594 CY

Arjack found a secret door while the party searched the control room. An L-shaped corridor descending down into the darkness, was discovered to lead south. The door opened by an unseen servant, the room beyond is another armory. Southwest corner lain another secret door, directly across from the entrance. Beyond laid a malachite forge with depictions of dwarven weaponsmiths. Hammering away at the forge was a female dwarf and a pair of halflings, shackled, overseen by six hobgoblins and five goblins. The foes in the distance appeared oblivious. Bold, Arjack and Stinkeye charged forward to strike them, receiving backup by Fario's bow and "Z's" song. The acquired wand of sleep proved useless in the sorceress' hands. The foes retaliation was swift, but likewise inadequate. A second attempt with the wand proved more

successful, giving her allies a chance to ravage the horde. With its companions falling left and right, the last goblin not in slumber took its own life.

Awakening the sleeping goblin, "Z" began to question him in his native tongue, regarding Kazmojen and the slaves, while Arjack took a newly acquired key to free the prisoners. Sandor Ironfold, the female dwarf, and Jenere Everdawn and Maple, the halflings, thanked the party. The remaining party members searched the room and the corpses. Sandor asked if they've seen her husband, sold off four weeks ago; Jenere is nearly too-far gone for proper diplomacy. Parting ways, the party agreed to travel south, finding an unoccupied dining hall. After partaking of their stored meats and speaking with a captured cook, Gryffon Malek, they came across another small force of foes that were fascinated by "Z" and quickly dispatched by Stinkeye. As they continued, they entered a hall with a more dread appearance, housing a short but muscular figure clad in black plate armor, bearing a chain and an enslaved boy, and guarded by his pet howler. Beside him was a durzagon, a half-duergar/half-barbazu devil named Perlik Shererat, that the fierce Kazmojen was bartering with.

Kazmojen was both curious and incensed at the fact that party made it through his fortress so easily. Attempts by "Z" and Quintessa to further persuade their foes only enraged him further, as he loosed his pet upon them. Combat was engaged, with the half-dwarf maintaining an early advantage. Twin rays of enfeeblement by the arcanists greatly weakened Kazmojen, however, giving Fario the perfect opportunity to sneak up behind him for a fierce strike. The howler was not one to be ignored, as it viciously tore at Arjack rockfist, until the beast was torn asunder in retaliation. At the sight of his pet's demise, Kazmojen's senses grew momentarily sharpened, allowing him to avoid a flaming sphere conjured forth by the sorceress. With his attention turned, however, the necromancer dashed toward "Z" and helped to heal him, while Stinkeye raged, but missed out of blind anger, leaving himself open to attack. Unfortunately for the slaver, the party began to surround him as the necromancer's magic fatigued Kazmojen. Stinkeye's rage nearly did himself in, leading Arjack to climb over him to ensure their foe was engulfed, even while avoiding the flames of conflict. "Z" pulled the barbarian to safety, while Fellian darkened the area… a tactic that proved ineffective against the half-troll's scent capabilities.

The tide of battle soon turned again, as Kazmojen proved far hardier than expected. Emerging from the darkness, the beast utilized his last reserves of strength to crush the party, all of whom were in disarray. The party wasn't down for the count, either, as they once more surrounded Kazmojen, Fario and the newly healed Stinkeye attacking from all sides… proving the slaver's end.

The conflict continued, however, as a great force surged through the room, wounding the hearts of all but the most vile. A gnome-like creature of greater height appeared before the party. "Z's" sweet music inspired his allies, yet it availed Quintessa not. Arjack charged forward, striking the dread foe yet becoming entangled by its venomous beard. An opportunity opened for a strike from Curwen's staff, followed by a charge from Stinkeye, proving the killing blow; throughout all of the this, Perlik Shererat vanished. Recovering the children, one named himself Deacon Stormshield. Neither he, Lucinda Aldreen, nor Evelyn Radavec, coukd locate the lost fourth — Terrem Kharatys. With calm finally settling around the area, the party and the recovered children made their way to the cook's quarter and recovered their strength.

In time they returned to Kazmojen's lair, finding his corpse surrounded by several hobgoblins, fear quickly instilled by them due to a clever ploy brought upon by "Z," Quintessa, and Arjack Rockfist. The party followed them, tabling a meeting between the various goblin and hobgoblin groups nestled deep within the catacombs. The room, lain with dwarven statues, contained deactivated automatons. Four prisoners were also among those in the room; Krylscar Endercott, Deven Myrzal, Irruth Mercadi, and Jasper Drundlesput. Krylscar retained his strength, offering his swordarm. The prisoners also reiterated much of what the party already knew, save for the location of Terrem. Further exploration revealed the jailer's quarters, including the chief jailer and its retinue. The words of the bard, bolstered by a venomous strike from the sorceress' fiendish viper, let the one-armed Zarkad know who was in charge. Coryston Pike, shackled by Zarkad, was once a human sorceress who's allies were slaughtered by a troll thirteen years ago.

Delving deeper revealed a grand treasure room and the second of the two dread mimics, the most fearsome of the pair. Despite Quintessa's soothing words, "Z" abided by the creature's requests and paid its departure. After partaking of its treasure, the party continued their way into the guests' quarters, slaying two blobs of flesh before returning to the elevator and traversing the remaining rooms of Jzadirune on their way to the surface… and to the Lantern Street Orphanage

Skie's Treasury was the final destination of the party, owned by a retired gnome sorceress, Skie Aldersun, to trade in the treasures they had claimed underground, a choice reward for local heroes.

DRAKTHAR'S WAY MOONDAY, WEALSUN 24TH, 594 CY

More than two weeks had passed as the party found a notice upon the door of the sorceress' alchemy shoppe, Quintessence, marked by the Lord-Mayor and asking for a meeting at the town hall with Captain Terseon Skellerang, that spoke about goblins in the streets, raiding the city, robbing local warehouses. The captain knew about the party's previous exploits, deeming them the most worthy of facing this new threat. Jenya, the acting high-cleric of the Church of St. Cuthbert, was the next stop in the party's destination. Passing through the town revealed some goblinoid graffiti: "Hail Drakthar, Lord of the Rats!" and "Drakthar has bat ears." The gnome bard, "Z," studied the words but could decipher no pattern. As they continued, "Z's" music caused some goblin heads to pop out, but they disappeared soon there-after. Word around town was that they appeared during the darkest of nights, armed with simple crossbows or cruder weapons. Eventually they made it to the church and met with Jenya, who possessed the Star of Justice which gave her her legendary foresight, but was otherwise of little assistance. Seeking aid from the Star at the party's request, she learned that the goblins served "Drakthar the Bloodmonger," and that there happened to be a red-eyed dwarf involved in the situation — Orak Stonehaven, a retired adventurer who lost an eye years back, wearing a patch with a red gem set in it. He ran a local bath house on Lava Avenue.

Making their way toward the bathhouse, they also learned that Orak made his "home" at the "Tipped Tankard," having been seen around for the last month or so. With the party splitting, "Z," Quintessa the sorceress, and Curwen the necromancer came across six goblins, convincing them that they're allied with Drakthar to a location far from the tavern. Via a message spell, "Z" communicates with Stinkeye the half-orc barbarian, Arjack Rockfist the dwarf fighter, and a caretaker of the Amedio Jungle, Liza the halfling druid. However they caught the attention of the local guard, easing their fears with sweet words. After the guards left, the goblins spoke about the destination being Orak's bathhouse — the home of Drakthar. The tides soon turned on the otherwise helpful goblins, as the bard's tune turns to so-called "heroics," just in time for the rest of the party to meet up. Axes are swung, bolts are fired, the creatures are felled one after another. One poor goblin is left alive, manacled and tortured by the party. In fear, it exclaimed more about the secret passage in the bath house and its opinion about the town being built in a volcanic crater and the dung-smelling "Snirk."

Onyx tiles covered the twenty-foot high bathhouse, a huge bath lit by a crystal dome above. The commotion caused by the party brought out Orak. Despite "Z" and Quintessa claiming their connection to Drakthar, the red-eyed dwarf was suspicious of the party's intent. A sneak attack by "Z" left Orak most fearful, while the curious sorceress detected a domination effect upon him. Assailing his fears with a bottle of "wine," Quintessa spoke kind words to him, learning from him about the location of the passage and its relevant key, before the "wine" he sipped burned his throat; a cleverly-disguised bottle of achemical acid. Manacled by the party, the magic controlling Orak was too strong to be dispelled by the sorceress. With him out of the way, so to speak, the party then split up to examine the baths more intimately. A chest in Orak's office was robbed (and some bars of soap swiped), and exploring the storeroom revealed a locked door, opened by Orak's key. Beyond the door laid a goblin graffiti-lain hallway with monstrous chatting in the distance, aglow by Quintessa's light spell upon her scroll case. "Drakthar is dead! Long live Drakthar!" said the graffiti. Judging by the odd words, they seemed to indicate that "Drakthar" may have be a title. "Z" combed the depths of his knowledge about the "Bloodmonger" — once a noble in the city who was last seen as a vampire, possessing a network of caves found within the depths of the city and who sought to gain control of it via political power. Quintessa eyed the more queer keys of the writing on the wall.

Growing more cautious, the party left the baths toward the local authorities, Orak in tow. Fearing the worst, Arjack prepared by obtaining a great weapon of his people: an alchemical silver waraxe enchanted with the magic of the dwarves.

GODSDAY, WEALSUN 25TH, 594 CY

Returning to the Tipped Tankard, the party met up with new faces: a half-elf fighter named Dregs Garfunkle, a human paladin named Stephen, and a drow ranger named Zyn Argith, adding the latter's wolf to their forces. Strengthened by new blood, they made their way back to Orak's bathhouse, left unattended in his absence. A detailed search found a long, dark hallway leading to

a backroom with a dusty library. Another search revealed several doors, one leading to a rubble-strewn hallway little used. At the end laid a once refined temple adorned with dwarven statues, scarred and graffitied by a troupe of goblins standing in the party's way: their leader rode atop a warg. A Heavenly ballad inspired the party, helping Zyn's bow-string to sing and the spellcasters' magic to fly, incinerating some and entangling others. Arjack charged forth, kicking one in the face, followed by the dread necromancy of Curwen oddly complimenting the holy bow of Stephen. "Z's" own wolf channeled his healing magic to aid Arjack, whilst Liza's ties to nature summoned bats to distract and annoy their foes. In the end, only an unconscious goblin remained, quickly dispatched by Zyn.

Amid the combat a secret path in the wall had opened up, a hall beyond leading into the remains of a high priest's quarters… partially incinerated by Quintessa's flaming sphere, prior to its extinguishment by "Z's" magical decanter of endless water. To make up for "good intentions," she warded the wolves and the necromancer against further incursions. Examining the remains of the room, little of use was found. Returning back, the party attempted to dig through the collapsed hallway offset from the library. Inspiration by the bard quickened the work, and before long the party burrowed through into a dilapidated room. A compartment in the center was discovered, but opening it revealed yet another swarm of bats. Torches were enough to get rid of 'them, and within their hiding place was a cache of alchemical gear and masterwork tools of various sorts. The opposite wall led to a T-shaped hallway, collapsed even worse than the prior but appearing before a great antechamber that overlooked a deep cavern.

Despite the sorceress' protests, Arjack charged forward — and alerted a larger force of goblins who immediately opened a volley upon them. Zyn took the initiative and returned fire. Quintessa readied her own defenses as Dregs and Stephen followed after Rockfist, smashing through the goblin forces. The gnome's music inspired, jumping down into the chasm with decanter in hand. A magic missile flew over the dwarf as his rashness found himself injured once more after a leap into the chasm, the half-elf following along in his dangerous pursuit. Biding his time, Curwen stepped forward, drifting the goblins to sleep with a mere wave of his hand. With their foes helpless before them, the party began the process of eliminating them one-by-one, leaving only a single goblin alive.

Three passages opened: east, west, and south. According to their new goblin friend, "Drakthar" lived deeper in the tunnels, seeking to gain control of the city. By his word, the party descended down through the western tunnel, coming across two swarms of rats and dire rats, foul beasts of filth and disease. Despite having experienced them before, Quintessa's warnings fell on deaf ears. Flasks of flame were thrown, incinerating some of the vermin, but it was not enough to save Stephen from being overrun by a swarm. The magical flames evoked by the sorceress were not enough to halt them, as Dregs and Liza fell into the sway. In a bout of insanity, Arjack smashed a flask of fire upon the paladin in a vain attempt at vanquishing the swarm. Consumed by flame and filth, Stephen dropped, barely alive.

Another bout of flames was enough to destroy the vermin, but not without burning several clustered party members.

WATERSDAY, WEALSUN 26TH, 594 CY

After taking an early rest within the dungeon to recover from the previous incident, the party continued their journey, with the sorceress and the other keen-eyed members spotting warg-riding goblins on an overhead cliff, readying their assault. What followed was utter chaos, as man fought goblin, wolf fought warg. Awakening with new-found power, Quintessa imbued her strongest allies with further speed and stamina, their lightning-quick blades and arrows piercing the flesh of their foes. Lessons unlearned, fire was evoked amid the conflict, burning a warg and its rider. Over the clashing blades and screams of battle, the music of "Z" flowed like wine, invigorating the party with the heroics needed to smash through the enemy lines.

The tide momentarily turned against them when Arjack was tripped by a warg, but a searing ray from Curwen incinerated another, the goblin upon it scarcely leaping to safety… a target to the charging paladin, Stephen. Liza's druidic nature enables her to control a warg of her own. Through the air flew Zyn's arrows, piercing through the final beast. When the battle cleared, the party carefully climbed their way up the other cliff, finding a hall leading to a door to the left. The shadowy caverns were magically lit before revealing an opened area. Stephen took the lead and paid the price, receiving a bolt for his troubles, three more flying overhead. In moments the party was surrounded, Zyn taking a strike in the back from a hidden foe while the door before Stephen attempts to press against him, unable to open.

The enemy's advantage was short-lived as Dregs grappled a goblin and kicked him off another cliff, while Zyn struck down his attacker. A wave of Curwen's hand puts to slumber a

distant foe, sending him tumbling off of the other side. Stephen summoned divine fury, nearly knocking the door before him off of its hinges… with an axe from the other side breaking through. Two thumps on the other side echoed through, a bolt flying through and striking Stephen once more. With the cliff dangerously close, Quintessa warded the party from any tragic falls. Aiming off in the distance, Zyn struck at the last foe on the other side of the cliff. Giving his allies fair warning, Dregs' charged through and down the hallway, grabbing a magically lit coin from the sorceress' unseen servant… and straight into a pair of bolts at the far end.

Continued thumps behind the door echoed throughout the cavern. Leaving his guard, Stephen followed after Dregs, bow armed. With the party lessening, the door finally gave way, goblins and their hobgoblin leaders breaking through. Stephen turned around, striking out at the new foes. A ray sprung forth from Curwen's finger, weakening a hob'; it was of little concern as Stinkeye was wounded. The battle quickened, literally, with the sorceress' arcane power, her fiendish viper dropped before her to guard her against their foes. Stinkeye took his vengeance, followed by Arjack. With vigor, Zyn let one arrow after another fly, but even amid the magical light only one foe was struck down. Arjack stood in defense before the door as the foes in the room beyond scattered, deflecting any meager attack of theirs; yet his life was put further at risk as Quintessa evoked a flaming sphere in front of him. Ignoring the present dangers, Stinkeye leapt over both the dwarf and the flame, drawing forth the foes' attention, slicing into a hob' before him.

Down the hall, Dregs, suffering a grievous wound, hid as best he could amid the light, keeping well behind the paladin as he charged forward, becoming entangled in a rope bridge. The necromancer stepped up behind the fighter, sacrificing one of his own potions to aid his ally. Fighting in haste, Stinkeye slaughtered one goblin after another. Zyn followed the barbarian's cue, charging forward but suffering from nearby foes — a loosed arrow ended one of his attackers, the other incinerated by Quintessa's flaming sphere. With renewed strength, Dregs helped Stephen back to his feet, returning previous favors. Arjack, feeling bold, walked through the flame, withstanding much pain and suffering, but calling up his fervor to end the final goblin within the room. After a quick, albeit grimy search, Zyn left, striding down the hall and using his superior drow vision to see the final two foes beyond them, drawing his bow and felling them.

Once a calm had settled over the darkened halls, the bodies of the dead were disposed off over the cliffs, and the busted door repaired as best as possible, offering the desolate and grimy room some solace and quiet, a serviceable place of rest as the party recovered from their toils and troubles.

EARTHDAY, WEALSUN 27TH, 594 CY

The next day, dire wolf sounds were heard in the distance, making the morning routine less than pleasant. Even with a feather fall warding them, both Stephen and Quintessa had trouble across the rope bridge before them; aiding the paladin with his armor, the he and the sorceress followed after the party… toward the further sounds of dire wolves. With Quintessa's unseen servant carrying a magical light before them, Liza becomes an easy target for a bolt fired by a goblin rogue. It didn't take long for everyone to realize they've gone in circles, stumbling upon the very same cavern and cliff faces as before; this didn't deter Stephen as a swing of his scythe bisected one of their foes. Another felled from a sai thrown by Dregs, knocking the foe down — critically injured, but soon dispatched. Throughout the conflict, a gaseous form passed by Curwen, feared by Quintessa as the dread fiend they were tracking.

The chaos of the situation sent Dregs down to the bottom of the chasm, albeit safely due to feather fall, and further foresight from the sorceress enabled him to be pulled to safety with rope; luck remained not long as her cure wand failed her use, temporarily handing it off to Stephen to aid Dreg's injuries. With Arjack and Stinkeye following up after keeping their back guarded, the party made their way into a dark, dusty room, little used since days of yore — a large chair sat in the center of the far end, appeared to be made of dried skin sewn over a wooden frame; coming too close, a swarm of bats and rats emerged forth, the former drawing half-orc blood — the beasts were not swayed by Liza's words. Dregs was less diplomatic, bringing forth a hammer to crush the rats at his feet. A bolt of force fired by Quintessa obliterated a portion of the bats, but did little to prevent the swarms from overwhelming the party.

Arjack and Stephen would have none of this, as their axe and scythe obliterated the vermin, but not without repercussions; the filth of the rats infected several of the heroes. Flames blasted forth from Curwen's hands, incinerating the rat swarm (and some allies)… and awakening the throne before them, presenting forth a new foe. Liza's wolf attempted to devour the flying beasts surrounding Stephen, giving him the chance to finally put them down. Quintessa's power to dispel was not enough to overcome the vile nature of the zombific chair… but it was of no concern to Curwen, who's knowledge of necromancy commanded it, much to the sorceress'

chagrin. Such jealousies were put aside, however, as each person aided another in healing and recovery, making sure not another step was taken until everyone was at full strength.

An hour passed as Stephen detected an aura of most horrid evil — the gaseous form from before. This presence was followed by two hobgoblins silently approaching upon dire wolves from a secret passage; their scent was picked up by the sorceress' fiendish viper, however, its master striking upon them with a thunderstone, forcing one wolf to toss its rider… an opportunity taken by Rockfist with much glee. A flaming sphere evoked by Quintessa did little to deter those foes not deafened, but cleared the way for Stephen to get in their way. The fallen hob stood, staggering but strong… and surrounded. Liza's druidic nature stole the gaze of one wolf, while Curwen fired off a pair of magic missiles against one foe, before commanding the flesh throne to strike down another. The once prone hob was crushed beneath the fury of Arjack Rockfist, before the dwarf stepped through the flames without fear, cleaving through a dire wolf, forcing its rider to face the floor… and face against the hammer of Dregs as he lept over the mesmerized beast.

With foes falling left and ride, Stephen called upon his wisdom to make a tactical retreat, guarding the only other way in-or-out. Liza's force of will proved the superior as she put the dire wolf under her control, whilst the sorceress' magic gravely wounded the surviving hob, suffering final death at her fellow arcanist's hands. Calm settled, and the party explored the passage their foes emerged from, opening to a great chasm before them… and a door beyond, well-used by the goblins. Stephen, first to open the way, avoided the sleeping enchantment upon the door meant to halt its foes. Entering through revealed a passage to the south and an archway to the north, as well as three foes; a goblin and his shocker lizard pets. "Z" stepped forward from the back, seeking to parlay through his knowledge of Drakthar, learning that he may very well be indeed the fearsome form floating through the halls, guarding his realm and making sure his thralls were still loyal to him. Amid diplomacy, a shocker lizard was gifted to the party, causing Liza's dire wolf to strike back upon breaking out of her control.

The situation was cooled when Zyn drew his bow, putting the beast out of their misery… soon devoured by the lizards. Returning from whence they came, Curwen's necromancy regained control of Drakthar's throne, before continuing on towards an ever deeper chasm spotted with makeshift ladders… drawing the attention of three dire bats. The drow slipped away once more, hiding from all save Quintessa's viper. The party underestimated their chances, however, and with a united effort brought the foul beasts low. Moving past, they came across one of the ladders, old and rickety, but strong enough for climbing as each member made their way through a recess in the far wall. Within was a room with treasures strewn about, and a fake door. After divvying up the loot, the trapdoor was opened… revealing a human-shape amid dirt. An attempt to ravage the bed of Drakthar summoned the fearsome foe before the party. Diplomacy between he and "Z" revealed his diabolical plan to take the city through his goblin hordes.

With little time wasted, "Z" fills the tomb with song whilst Zyn loosed an arrow upon the undead bugbear. A burst of flame erupted from Curwen's outstretched hand, blades were swung, and even the holy force of positive energy was called upon. Stinkeye unleashes his rage, but Quintessa's attempts to command Drakthar failed. With an opening, the vampire struck the bard, draining him of his lifeblood. Dregs saw an opportunity, but his strike missed too closely. Zyn was luckier, his silvered arrow piercing unholy flesh — giving his companion a chance to bite and trip him, releasing "Z" from its grip. Prone, Drakthar was burned by the necromancer's flask of acid. Distracted, he was left open by the gnome's retaliatory swing of his hammer, and the following gash of Arjack's magical silver axe. Liz's shocker lizard entered the fray, working in conjunction with her wolf for a fearsome double strike. The rage of Stinkeye and the positive energy wielded by Quintessa forced Drakthar to retreat into gaseous form, summoning a swarm of bats to annoy his most recent foes.

The drow's bowstring sung with victory, punching holes through the cloud. Bold, Curwen pulls off a bead from his newly won necklace of fireballs, blasting the entire room… and giving "Z" the chance for the final blow, causing Drakthar the Terrible to vaporize amid a terrific scream.

FREEDAY, WEALSUN 28TH, 594 CY

After a night of solemn rest, the party attempted to make their way to the surface, soon coming across the foul scent of goo: animated slimes oozing down from the ceiling, coalescing before them. Zyn was as alert as ever, piercing one into harmless chunks… and finds his arrows quickly dissolving against its acidic form. Curwen followed his lead, aiming his crossbow true against another. An unfortunate swing from Stinkeye's axe cleaves a slime in two, and split it into two separate forms. Banding together their disgusting foes attempt to wash over them like a caustic wave, but all for naught as Stephen pierced ones, giving Liza's shocking lizard an opening

to jolt it. Their experience with their dreaded undead foe left much to be desired from the slimes, as they were all soon felled.

The sounds of combat were heard up ahead, as the party came across a "shade," a being of living darkness not of the Material Plane, slinking through the shadows as it defended itself from a patrolling troupe of goblins. Before "Z" could attempt a chance at diplomacy, the goblins were slaughtered one-by-one. Regardless, they accepted a new ally, Draak the enemy of their enemy being their friend. Traveling further, the growls of half-orcs were heard within the distance of a grand cavern. "Z," Zyn, and Liza, after melding into the stone, joined the shade in sneaking up to them, catching them well off guard. An arrow pierces the skull of one, while the shade chose the more direct route via the sword. The other few were alerted to the party's presence, but it did little good. Quintessa smiled with pride as Zyn made use of the venom she gifted him, gravely wounding it and leaving it victim to Stephen's deadly scythe.

Dregs called for a halt to combat, with the remaining half-orc suffering the twisting tongue of the gnome, the bard convincing him that they initiated the conflict and not the party. "Z" was not the only liar in the cavern, however, as the half-orc attempted to aid the party if for no other reason than to save its own skin: it didn't. After the battle the shade scouted ahead and found an abandoned guard house. Meeting up with the party, Zyn further explored the area and discovered a goblin in the tree, cowardly in its nature. The questionable actions of the party left another death in their wake, its perceived innocence left for others to determine. Either way, the merry band of adventurers finally made their way out of the darkness, but still well outside the city limits. Despite the welcoming warmth of the sun, the party turned back into the depths, eager to discover all that the dungeons had to offer before they initiated its destruction.

Another path, unused as of yet, proved to be perilous as the shade was nearly crushed by a trap of collapsing rocks. It's a one-off, however, proving an otherwise safe passage for all else, and they soon made their way to a graffiti-strewn stairwell above. Beyond laid a well-crafted room depicting ancient dwarves during the height of their greatness… and as the shade explored under the guise of invisibility, two humans, one in armor and another in robes, were found within: Chorlyndyr and Kalif. They claimed to have been helping Drakthar for the sake of their own boss, and the unexpected news of their ally's demise did not bode well for them. Ogre mage, "The Blue Duke," was the symbol that laid upon their being. "Z" attempted to give them an offer they couldn't refuse, as the party positioned themselves around them. With a sneak attack the shade struck through Chorlyndyr, Kalif raging at the sight; yet his fury could not save him from a viper's venom as Quintessa pierced him with crimson steel.

Combing the depths of his knowledge, "Z" realized he's heard of "The Blue Duke," the otherwise nameless ogre mage hiring mercenaries, mostly half-orcs, as his personal bodyguard. A room was soon discovered containing a cache of food, fair enough for consumption and enough to last some time.

STARDAY, RICHFEST 1ST, 594 CY

The next day started with some backtracking, traversing a large, deep cavern-like tunnel as the party attempted to explore what had remained little-touched in ages… save for the swarms of rats and their dire rat leaders. The divine spellcasters used their connection with nature to turn the ground before them into a field of entangling vines, erupting forth to halt their advance… and leaving them vulnerable to Curwen's fireball. Emboldened, Quintessa sicked her familiar, Destro, upon one of the surviving beasts, weakening it with his venom. Dregs went for the more unconventional route — smashing a chair against his foe. The sorceress' target was further wounded by the bow and wolf of Zyn, tearing it apart with arrow and fang. Out of the corner of their eyes, a multi-armed creature from the Far Realms emerges before the party — an ethereal filtcher. A preemptive strike from Zyn forced it to shift out of all senses.

At the end of the cavern was a large, closed iron door. Keen of eye, "Z" and the shade disabled the traps unseen by all save Zyn, followed by the gnome taking patience to pick the lock and open it. A natural passage led out to the west from a roughly-hewn room, guarded by a troupe of warg-mounted goblins. Silver words were spoken between the two forces, with a magical ring offered to their leader, the cursed token that immediately begins to weaken him: this caused the parlay to turn sour. The momentary diversion caused by the ring incident gave the party a chance at a first strike… including a fireball erupting forth from the pointed finger of an unexpected ally, a wizard calling himself "Wilhem," exploring the same ruins as the party. Quintessa imbued her allies with magic, allowing them to slaughter the opposing party at great haste.

The goblins quickly fell amid the chaos, with a fantastic flurry from "Z" allowing him to throw a dagger whilst playing the fabulous flute he had received, another handled and ridden by

Liza. However Draak, once momentarily fallen, quickly recovered due to his supernatural flesh and fells the druid's new beast. Destro strikes true once more, allowing his master to fiercely stomp the weakened warg with her noble heel; the foe was not yet slain, however, retaining enough life to attempt a bite. Luck blessed her and not Stephen, as the paladin was constantly tripped up by the four-legged cretins. Arcanists stick together, as a bolt flies from Curwen's crossbow to fatally pierce the sorceress' enemy.

Calm finally settled as the so-called heroes stepped over corpses to search for ill-gotten booty, including a cauldron imbued with ancient dwarven magic, needing just a short time to finish the cure spell that had been brewed.

SUNDAY, RICHFEST 2ND, 594 CY

The remainder of the day was uneventful, giving the party an early and full rest, as best as could be hoped among the dark, dank caves. Further exploration revealed a hidden (and quickly dispatched) goblin. Little to "Z's" awareness, the ethereal filcher had returned and disappeared within a flash. Ignoring the situation, the party traveled through, setting off a simple trip wire with no one around to hear it, finding their half-elf druid hanging from the bell above. A clean but empty dormitory rested to the left, possessing larger cots that had been seen thus far, assumed to have been housing the half-orc mercenaries that they had come across. A side room was heavily supplied with chests and casks baring the mark of a birdcage; Zyn caught the sound of something fleeing the room. The shade and the sorceress examined further, thinking it may be more goblins, as the rest divvied up the newly discovered goods. The symbol was believed to be tied to one Zarn Cyass, the head of a local noble house.

Clearing out the area, further exploration revealed now empty guardposts, the goblins once here most certainly slain. Exploring the immediate area revealed more goods and little else. A desiccated library rested nearby, traps busted and books beyond ruin. Broken statues of dwarves abound, heads missing, defiled by the goblins. In the back lays a secret room, the quarters of who was once the head priest of the destroyed chapel. With little of value left to find, the party finally decided to give up the dungeon, making the slow trek back to the recently-repaired bathhouse, finding the corpse of Orak Stonehaven at the entrance of the cave's entrance; Curwen figured his body had been here for four days, a blade piercing him through from behind. Putting the body to "rest," the party retired to Quintessence for a moment, examining everything they had obtained, keeping what they desired and planning on selling off the rest; unfortunately, the mark upon the casks caused a shoppekeeper to give them a dirty look and run off, disappearing into a secret door.

Despite these odd circumstances, the party took time to split up and run several errands. Dreg tried to obtain the deed to the bathhouse, finding it falling into the hands of the Cagewrights, a guild connected to the mark on the casks. Some sought out Captain Skellerang to warn him about the end of the goblin threat, but he was unavailable for quite a few days. Despite the party's deeds, the quest bestowed upon them was never put into the public record. Biding their time, they decided to visit the Slippery Eel, a disreputable inn likely to house the Last Laugh thieves guild beneath their floorboards. Listening in on the conversations, they found that it has become well-known that the Cagewrights' smuggling channel had been broken, many none-too happy about it — scornful looks abounded. With a grin, Zyn offered to purchase a drink for everyone in the party, softening the mood. As Dreg recounted a story, a dwarven busboy was noticed by the drow, scowling at them; the nephew of Orek. Despite his inherit hatred, they did learn from him more about the Cagewrights' history among the town.

Raising his mug, Stephen sought to waylay the room's fear and anger by announcing a toast, attempting to parlay with the rowdy group about shared information. Announcing his true attentions, however, Dregs found himself bound by the Eel's orc bouncer, Thug, throwing him out of the door: these acts did not further endear them to the Last Laugh. For the sake of their own health, they departed. The party split in two between the Drunken Morcoth and Quintessence, however Stephen chose to wander the streets that night, crossing paths with the Jenya of the Church of St. Cuthbert, giving him shelter, food, and knowledge about Thifirane Rhiavadi of the Cagewrights.

MOONDAY, RICHFEST 3RD, 594 CY

Waking early, Zyn noticed figures traveling rooftop to rooftop, believing them to be members of the Last Laugh. When the party met back up at Quintessence, Stephen shared what he had learned, the name being familiar to some: Rhiavadi was the son of a local matriarch, their

compound fairly close to the bath house. With this in mind, they returned to the Captain's hold, finding a friendlier guard able to aid their requests, receiving their reward, and deeming the town (relatively) more peaceful than before the goblins had emerged. Waiting for the Captain, the party examined and appreciated the noble bearing of the guardhouse, whilst noticing the grim, silent attitudes of the elite guards. Eventually Skellerang appeared before them, telling them they were well aware of Drakthar's demise and of the Cagewrights' involvement with the tunnel system, as well as their obtainment of the bath house itself. As the captain explained the situation, Stephen got the feeling that it may have been the guards who had slain Orak after he had spilled the beans.

The sorceress suggested the entire tunnel system to be blocked off, much to the captain's praise: whatever might interfere with the Cagewrights' illicit business. Plans were made, and rewards from the city's treasury were offered up. The Captain also reiterated that the party's actions had shut down the smuggling ring, much to the Cagewrights' chagrin. To keep the status quo, members of the party were offered the chance to watch the bath house, or to clear out the lava tubes beneath the city, overrun with vermin similar to what had been previously faced. The Tipped Tankard was also recommended by Skellerang, as were the Cusp of Sunrise for the best drinking and the Coy Nixie for the best food and dancing. Quintessa chose to prepare a keg of black powder for the tunnel (and being refunded market value), while Dregs performs his act at the Tankard, a strong showing at first diminishing over several days.

With the sorceress and wrestler out, the rest of the party decided to forgo momentary pleasure and descended underground once more. A disgusting trek through bat-filled tubes did reveal a beautiful opening but little more: nothing else of note could be found, as they eventually learned a rival band of adventurers called the Stormblades had previously cleared the area. Turning back, they attempted to clean themselves up at the bath house, finding it not only not open for business, but protected by half-orcs, ones other than typical city guards, stepping closer as the party neared. Forcing his way in, the wizard, Wilheml, received a fireball to the face; surviving, but finding one of the towering half-orcs sternly warning them all away. Not wanting trouble, they decided to head to the Tipped Tankard to meet back up with Dregs, their odoriferous presence requiring them to bathe first. Once cleansed, they found off-duty guards, the blacksmith (lacking his apprentice), and other well-off members of society… with a couple of folk noticing them, whispering to each other, as the party received their first set of meals and drinks for free.

Talk of the upcoming "Flood Festival" also circulated throughout the large room, such as sales among the various shoppes, a famed drinking contest against Lord Vhalantru, and a lake monster hunt. Games, balls: what was once a time of fear for the populace decades ago had since turned into a time of celebration. The Stormblades were also mentioned, a party of aristocratic offspring tired of the party's growing fame and seeking to draw attention to themselves. Their leader was Annah Taskerhill, Cora Lathenmire was the muscle of the group, while Todd Vanderboren and Zachary Aslaxin II provided more subtle capabilities; their parents each sat upon the town council. Dire tidings also abounded, with talk of Hookface the Dragon having been spotted outside the city, and the wands of control water used to halt the floods thought to have gone missing, with Alek Tercival, the paladin of St. Cuthbert, still apparently off at Redgorge. Restless giants were rumored to seek Cauldron's destruction… a city that may have been built upon the ancient ruins of the home to more bestial entities.

Taking these words in mind, the party returned to Skie Aldersun's, making provisions before the Flood Festival was to occur…

GODSDAY, RICHFEST 4TH, 594 CY

Midsummer Day — The Holy Day of Pelor.

GODSDAY, REAPING 25TH, 594 CY

A joint effort between Quintessa's unique alchemy, "Z's" magical decanter of endless water, and the city's warmages brought about the final destruction of Drakthar's tunnel system.

FLOOD SEASON MOONDAY, GOODMONTH 24TH, 594 CY

Two months have passed in Cauldron since the fall of Drakthar and the departure of Arjack Rockfist, returning to his family and clan. Outward tensions have somewhat cooled amid the darker corners of the city, yet loathing still bubbles beneath the surface. The party keeps their distance from the Cagewrights, less they continue to draw ire and suspicion, while occasionally seeking more information on "The Blue Duke," an elusive figure. The dawn of the annual "Flood Festival" draws close, and after examining the validity of the rumors the party readies themselves for the their next adventure. Foul words spoken by the Stormblades had been spreading throughout Cauldron, with Cora making open threats against them. A couple nights a week they could be found at "The Coy Nixie." Despite this, cries of warning are heeded — that bringing undue harm upon them could prove disastrous for the true heroes.

Deciding to meet their challenge, albeit quietly, the party makes their way to "The Coy Nixie," hearing a commotion at a table behind them, two men and a woman holding back a fiery-redhead, her swords drawn. Zyn playfully asks the barkeep what their problem might be, whilst Quintessa blows a kiss upon them, further infuriating the redheaded Cora Lathenmire who fears the snow-haired sorceress desires her flame, Zachary. The drow seeks to calm rising tensions between the two sides, even suggesting that they work together for the benefit of their own reputations. Dregs steps up with his own soothing words, easing Annah Taskerhill, as Quintessa sits upon their table, inquiring about the apparent lack of wands of "control water." The Stormblades point them to both the churches of St. Cuthbert and Pelor. Zyn suggests their next interaction to be beneficial to both parties: treasure for them, reputation for the Stormblades. Annah smirks at this idea, her singsong voice speaking words of agreement. A scrying spell is set up between them to keep each other in touch.

Whispered words are also spoken about the Cagewrights, a centuries-old group of dark arcanists and foul priests.

GODSDAY, GOODMONTH 25TH, 594 CY

A flamboyant messenger baring green feathers appears before the party at "The Tipped Tankard" that morning, handing them an arcane spellbook, the scrying device, usable once-per-day, and a note from Zach; a message from the Stormblades also describes their involvement with the festivities and local chapels. Chaos soon erupts out in the streets as the party steps out after their morning routines, finding festival stalls and numerous games arising all around Cauldron's more fanciful neighborhoods: Stinkeye, bold in his hardiness, seeks to try his luck at a drinking contest, proving his orc heritage proud. Rumors abound of the Dæmonskar Ball, the biggest and fanciest event held at "The Coy Nixie," hosted by Zachary of the Stormblades and his family. Zyn and Drrak attempt a rope climb, before the former tries his hand at drinking, while Dregs plays a hand of cards. The drow's drunkenness leaves his open to a possible theft, foiling a young gnome's attempts at just the last moment.

Noon approaches, and while many are distracted, Quintessa sneaks away to examine the various churches, eager to learn more about the wands of "control water" and their possible disappearance; unfortunately her inquiries at the Cathedral of Wee Jas is less than fruitful. With surprisingly clear weather she makes her way back to the party and their enjoyment of the festivities, perusing various carts while keeping herself alert of her surroundings, fearing the worst. The flamboyant messenger returns, paying close attention to the fire-jugglers lining the street as darkness descends upon the city, calling upon local guards to defend him against Drakk's failed theft of a feather upon his boa (despite his invisibility). Dregs performs alongside the carnival, with more-or-less success, white the quiet Curwen keeps an ear out, hearing whispers that the clerics of Kord and Wee Jas are involving themselves less in the festival than in years prior, as opposed to the constant presence of St. Cuthbert; one of Wee Jas' officials vehemently denies such rumors about them or the wands.

As the night closes, Steven follows the sorceress' lead in seeking knowledge from the Church of St. Cuthbert, finding no more knowledge than she did; Quintessa joins him, asking about the church's true leader, Sarcem Delasharn, being told that he's been away longer than usual, and while expected to return for the festival's finally, such words are spoken with noticed nervousness. Returning to "The Tipped Tankard," the party finds another note telling them to do

what they can to aid Stinkeye in his continued victories behind the tankard, and that the Stormblades will be in touch.

WATERSDAY, GOODMONTH 26TH, 594 CY

Half-an-hour before sunrise, the early waking Zyn notices an individual sneaking around the alley ways, followed by a possible sleepless Dregs. The individual is a less-than-flamboyant messenger from the Stormblades, on much more unofficial business regarding the town being up-in-arms about Sarcem still missing, seeing it as an opportunity to boost their standings. Jenya, the church head in standing, has been more than frazzled about the situation. With the sun rising and the festivities quickly renewing, Dregs finds he could just barely make it to the lake to participate in the annual Crater Lake Monster Hunt, a game of swimmers seeking to catch a specific boat, the "monster." With many gathered around, Dregs continue the previous night's inquiries with little success, aside from learning about a prestigious performance game the next day, while Curwen "hunts the monster" and Stinkeye continues his own competition with Stephen to aid him. The rest of the party seek to make their way to the main palace in search of Jenya.

Countless guards keep the party from entering the palace, but upon learning of the party's role with the rescue of the orphans allows them make contact with Jenya, speaking about their knowledge of Sarcem's disappearance: the keeper of the wands. Stephen joins up, utilizing a spell to help locate Delasharn and the wands towards the direction of Sasserine, the region's capital, where a new temple was to have been dedicated. Returning to the temple the paladin focuses the divine forces, sensing the wands towards the far north west, a possible two-week journey. Clear skies are the only reward for the party's work as a quiet evening befalls the city…

EARTHDAY, GOODMONTH 27TH, 594 CY

Another morning dawns to the sounds of Dregs' grand performances, influencing the upper echelons of Cauldron; unfortunately it's not enough to win him the prize, as he is soon told by a flamboyant messenger (bearing red feathers), since the Stormblades could not suffer to see them at "The Coy Nixie" any further. Meanwhile, a note is sent by Jenya towards "The Tipped Tankard," demanding their presence at the Church of St. Cuthbert. A sending spell had been cast by Sarcem, revealing his fate…

"At Lucky Monkey. Have eight wands. Tavern'sbeen attacked. Bandits led by barbaric apeman. Mortallywounded. Retreated to basement. They know we'rehere. Send assistance!"

"Sarcem? Is that you? Hang on! Conserve your resources.I'll send out aid immediately. Send me another messagewhen you can, but until then have—"

…and Jenya desires the party's immediate intervention. Even Stinkeye is practically ordered to abandon his competition, despite his success, for this quest of dire importance. Horses and cure potions are gifted unto them, as the tavern is a day's ride north-west away. Secretly Curwen scries to the Stormblades, mentioning the situation and suggesting they keep themselves scarce for the time being. Nearly an hour is required to gather supplies and exit the city amid the festival, while also being warned to keep a low profile to keep up the Stormblades' appearances; a gift of coin is offered to make them acquiescence, and they are informed of a camp on the off-beaten path towards Dæmonskar required to check-in on the way back.

Requiring a diversion to let the others quietly escape, Quintessa fools two out of three west-gate guards that she is attending a business trip in Brindinford, requiring the aid of Dregs and the use of the horses lent to them. Drrak slinked out after them unseen Stephen uses his inner-city connections to find a way out of an abandoned warehouse, with some difficulty climbing over the vast outer wall; it takes time, but eventually the party gathers together and makes their way. Night begins to descend, barely lit by a large moon beginning to be consumed by oncoming rain clouds. In the far distance large packs of baboons watch the party with an odd silence. The camp mentioned earlier, a small cabin in disarray, is reached.

While eerie sounds are heard off in the distance, the camp, while abandoned, still retains some basic, well-maintained amenities… including a crossbow-trapped door, striking Drrak;

another bolt embeds itself into Stinkeye. Curwen magically lights up the inside, revealing two small ballistae above the door and one above each window; the latter two are disabled by the sorceress' unseen servant. After their impromptu 'welcome party', the group settles in for the night, with Drrak keeping a sleepless watch. In an attempt to re-arm the traps, a small pack of badges sneak their way in, preying upon them, Quintessa suffering first. A quick, but quiet shout alerts only some of her comrades as she sics Destro upon the beasts. Stinkeye and Zyn ready their weapons, butchering them. The remainder awakens, their attention sorely turned towards the less-than-trustworthy shade.

FREEDAY, GOODMONTH 28TH, 594 CY

During Zyn's watch he notices the baboons drawing close to the cabin just before sunrise before departing; otherwise the night passes uneventfully as wounds are treated, badgers are cooked, and further glares are given. After breaking camp, the party makes their way back upon the path and spotting the Stormblades coming towards them, flanked by numerous guards and flamboyant messengers; careful movements keep their distance from them, staying out of the Stormblade's sight but within view of the baboons. Hours pass as they arrive at "The Lucky Monkey," an unusually large building for a roadside tavern; further care is taken to approach the building unnoticed, with the drow and shade moving on ahead, with the half-orc hanging back, finding a hiding place to strike from… and sensing an odd presence. Spotting a pile of corpses and a foul smell from within, it's clear that something is amiss. Two velociraptors come upon the corpses, beginning to devour them. Calling upon divine forces, Stephen makes a "leap of the Heavens," landing upon the building's roof, Dregs reaching out to grab his ankles to be carried aloft, albeit nearly causing them both to fall.

With the party split, the attention of the 'raptors are easily obtained, leaping towards Quintessa and Drrak, smelling him through his invisibility. Stinkeye himself is besat upon by the other presence. Zyn unleashes his bow as carnage ensues, his wolf sinking his teeth into one of the larger beasts, barely dodging as it falls. Stephen, seeking to aid, sets himself firmly upon "The Lucky Monkey's" roof and throws down a rope; before the party can attempt to climb, the beast quickly raises itself up to sweep with its tail, nearly knocking down the sorceress and striking down the rogue. A misfired spell from Quintessa draws the ire of its companion, as it charges towards Zyn… and leaving it wide open to Curwen's scorching ray, while a fearsome cleave from Stinkeye decapitates his foe with a single blow. Embarrassingly Stephen forcibly falls off of the roof, crashing nearby despite being imbued with a bear's strength. Regardless, the beasts are utterly surrounded, with one falling before the magical might of the necromancer. The more passing power of the sorceress eases Drrak's suffering, which appear to be cursed upon the paladin. The hammer falls as Dregs crushes the 'raptor's skull.

In the distance, two men armed with longswords and pitchforks, armored in scant chainmaille come towards the party, emerging from the less than stellar remains of the otherwise well-decorated "Lucky Monkey" tavern, giving the party precious little time to recover. Dregs steps forward, carefully examining them before attempting negotiations, seeking out the fate of Sarcem Delasharn; the pair did little to hide his fate, with the sorceress acting fast to play them, fooling them into believing the party worked for their boss, stopping them in their tracks… and leaving them wide open to an onslaught from the newly recovered Drrak and Stephen. After dispatching them, Drraks vanishes, sneaking around the premises in search of anything else out of the ordinary, peaking through a smokeless broken window to find a broken chapel he could climb into… but not without injury. Meanwhile Stinkeye cuts up choice slabs of dinosaur meat as Dregs and Quintessa don their foes colored sashes, stepping away as Stephen knocks upon the building's primary doors and enters, despite the sorceress' pleas to the paladin to try and flush out any foes with her alchemy and spells; as consequence, several arrows embed themselves within him, followed by Dregs taking after his example.

Within lays the ruined tavern's main hall, its furniture shattered and scattered. As Stephen boldly charges through, Stinkeye steps silently towards the door, peeking around to witness the scoundrels within aiming their crossbows at a juicy target. Further in, the shade sneaks his away through the twisting, turning hallways, seeking out the basement that Sarcem was believed to be hiding in while keeping an ear out for the sounds of possible combat. Stephen charges towards two crossbowmen hiding behind a fallen table, bedazzled by the dancing lights of Curwen; throwing the table to the side, he nearly crushes one beneath his spiked armor. Due to her partner's brashness, Quintessa's attempts to further trick their foes goes poorly, her waving of the red sash going unheeded as it, and her, are pierced by a bolt to the left. Stinkeye is not left unharmed, either, by a soon-to-be-dead man wounding with his longsword… and quickly bisected by the half-orc's great axe. Dregs avoids the carnage as he sneaks around the building after

Drrak, searching for a safer window to enter through; the shade, himself, finding a well-decorated office containing a large, baboon-like orc, several hill baboons, and a number of humanoids… all noticing the door opening on its own, and shutting just as fast.

Bolts continue to fly throughout the large room, as Stephen daringly emblazons himself, sounding with the fury of his deity and grappling one of his foes, incinerating him… and the table… and the floor around him. amid the growing smoke, the necromancer's keen eyes notice half of their enemies wearing the red sashes, while the others bare ones of blue — one of which he gravely wounds with a magic missile. Stinkeye's next swing misses, but gives Quintessa her chance to fortify her own defenses. Outside Dregs finds a suitable window, finding as much success as Drrak had, while the shade moves with haste away from the office and its foul denizens… but the large ape-man is not far behind. The shade attempts to foil him with the creation of shadowy illusions of himself after bursting through the door before him without harm… witnessed by Dregs. In the main hall, the sorceress calls upon arcane forces to quicken herself, her familiar, the barbarian, and the necromancer, as well as defending them from possible falling; this avails Stinkeye not as the burst of energy overcomes him, his target avoiding another swing. Stephen continues his burning crusade, ignoring the recently ignited ceiling.

Dregs leap through the window proves foolish as it was acrobatic, bumping his head into unconsciousness. As some crossbows are dropped, Curwen draws his, but his bolts are ineffective. Drrak joins the fray, his baboon-like pursuer runs him over, ignoring his shadowy images (and the spreading fire) as it targets the shade's scent, followed by the high-pitched screeches of its minions. Reaching out, Stephen emblazes two foes, one near to cinders and its partner flailing helplessly. Stinkeye is equally successful, swinging his greataxe as he rises, cutting down all around him. Quintessa follows in turn, stepping hastily forward as a necrotic ray springing from her outstretched hand weakens the beast before them. Thinking fast, Curwen draws forth the "decanter of endless water," quenching much of the flames before they further engulf the building. The baboon, though weakened, is filled with enough fervor to tear asunder the paladin's target as he charges towards him. Stinkeye follows suit, raging through the flames, beast versus beast, his great-axe grievously wounding the ape. Divine forces flow through Stephen as he magically commands their enemy to hold, leaving him wide open to his scythe, bisecting him cleanly; the remaining foes, witnessing the utter chaos, stand in pause. The shade, nearly recovered from his wounds, all but succumbs to an uncontrolled blast from Curwen's decanter.

The hill baboons, bursting into the room, barely avoid death at the hands of the sorceress, as one of her alchemical bombs detonates in the doorway; focusing her sight, a quick missile from her wand picks off one of the more unfortunate creatures as her viper strikes a guard in her defense. The sound of the blast alerts more foes, one felled by the charging Stinkeye, while one of the stronger apes makes its own charge against Stephen, unable to penetrate his divine defenses; Quintessa is not as fortunate, her arcane might not enough to shield her from the monkeys' wrath. With everyone's attention away from him, Curwen dashes and leaps into danger, using a potion to help heal the paladin's growing injuries; attention is still diverted when the doors are burst open, revealing Zyn and his bow, arrows flying through the air towards a beast. In the distance, little noticed, Dregs leaps out through a window with less than grace, but better luck is gifted to Stephen as his scythe mows down a once hail and hearty baboon; yet too many remain as several turn their way towards Quintessa, the source of their pain, but their lead fails to sink its fangs into her succulent flesh. Her vengeance is just as sweet.

Curwen, after providing further aid to the paladin, seeks a more opportune point of advantage, but the barbarian needs no such thing as his rage cuts down another. Zyn's wolf soon joins the fray, tripping one baboon while its master's target is pierced to its end. Those few that remain fail in tearing apart the sorceress, but the counter-attack of she and her familiar draw little more success, scroungers in the back falling before the paladin, and a run fleeing out a window after Dregs… only to be grappled by the greater ape. The necromancer, despite the teachings of his kind, makes his way to Drrak, fallen all throughout the conflict after the were-baboon's earlier charge, restoring the shade's strength who, in turn, warns of further foes up ahead while cutting down a beast before him; Stinkeye, aware, charges towards their expected entry point. Outside a shriek is heard — the creature breaking free of Dregs hold to smash him, before leaping back into the building, leaving him for dead. Curwen unleashes the "decanter of endless water" towards the doors, blasting through into the hallway, blocking the way of the next wave as several are knocked down by the surge.

Zyn's wolf duels with its like-minded foe, as his arrows fly true, piercing through it. Using the water to his advantage, matching his earlier mastery of flame, the paladin moves with the water, charging through the decanter's blast to cleave through the enemies before him. The sorceress' serpent avoids the gnashing teeth of a baboon, its superior natural defenses

augmented by her magic; yet its bite is of little effectiveness. Stinkeye, excited by the carnage, follows in Stephen's steed but is merely pushed aside. Drrak, with new vigor, aids in the sorceress' battle, adding a shade's blade to an enemy's rib cage, only to be backhanded in turn. Zyn and his wolf are of greater help, embedding his arrows deeper into its hide. Curwen corks the decanter, firing off magic missiles to obliterate the lead foe in the hall… giving Stephen the opening he needs to send another to his maker, followed by the raging barbarian's great axe following suit. The quickly diminished pack is further splintered by the venomous bite of Destro, while a magic missile from its master's wand strikes the final target, finished by the drow's bow.

As the chaos subsides, the party takes a moment to recover and search the desecrated surroundings. Some of the party carefully makes their way down the corridor towards the kitchen, after the shade, whilst others explore the upper floors, leaving the paladin behind to stand guard. Leading the way upstairs, Dreggs passes by a door that immediately bursts open, a red-sashed foe leaping out to strike at Quintessa, followed by a second, narrowly missing her; Zyn and his wolf, witnessing the event, step away to avoid further carnage, making his way to the kitchen. Dreggs and Quintessa's joint bluff fail to persuade their foes, but while the brawler succumbs to their next attack, two fall just as soon to the deadly toxins of the sorceress' blade and her viper… their comrades retreating towards a far window, fleeing outside, Destro slithering with speed after them while its master tends to her comrade's wounds. With renewed vigor, Dreggs leaps and follows, grappling one that remains while Quintessa and Destro slaughter another before it can follow its companions out the window. The grappled foe, identifying himself as an "alleybasher," is soon shackled and tied up, the sorceress' stiletto heel embedding itself into his face as he's forced to the ground.

Further within the lower quarters are rooms, more or less in disrepair, quickly cleaned of their valuables by the remaining party as Stinkeye makes full use of the kitchen to cook up the carved raptor flesh, the sizzling interrupted by the sounds of carnage up above and two thuds outside of the window, with only one staying alive to attempt an escape before picked off by Zyn's arrow, clearing the rooms to the best of their knowledge. Up above, Quintessa and Dreggs attempt to do their own clearing, separating to examine more richly-adorned rooms, finding a number of passed out people, only one awaking by the warning shouts of their captive… to no avail against the sorceress' dagger or the elaborate maneuvers of Dreggs, attempting an elbow drop off of the third turnbu—dresser. Out of the corner of her eye, Quintessa notices a pair dashing down the stairs, too far from her reach, towards Stephen left behind in the main concourse. In an attempt to rejoin the party, Dreggs throws the captive down the stairs… alerting the paranoid drow who immediately plugs him full of arrows, ending whatever source of information they could have otherwise obtained.

STARDAY, HARVESTER 1ST, 594 CY

Day dawns, quiet abounds, the party waking up all around "The Lucky Monkey" to the smell of half-orc home-cooking. Having remained upstairs to enjoy what little comforts remained, Quintessa glances out the window to find dark clouds as far as the eye can see, a downpour of rain falling beneath them; much to her chagrin the baths had been shattered prior to their arrival, leaving her with naught but the magically cleaned clothes on her back. Meanwhile the rest of the party gathers in the kitchen, hearing the news Stephen brings, his divination unable to find the "wands of control water" anywhere on the premises. After dining and cleaning (as best they could), they find their way to the inn's basement, descending down into the darkness to discover the headless corpse of Sarcem, still retaining much of his positions, divvied up since he lacks the will to wield them. Other rooms are explored, their stores discovered to have been despoiled by their foes. An attempt to incinerate the remains causes the brown mold used to keep the rooms cold double in size, creating near-arctic conditions against those before it, the shade nearly succumbing to it, until Curwen's own touch of cold shrinks it back, allowing it to shrink back and become contained. The sorceress, after downing her cold weather outfit upon realizing the events that have transpired, follows after, contemplating taking the box of brown mold for her own purposes.

A frost-covered, partially melted wood door barred with iron rests in the distance, three frozen corpses before it — victims of further brown mold. Examining the door Quintessa discovers the remnants of the druidic "wood shape" spell, forcing the door to fill every crevice of the frame and overflowing it; yet the immovable object is no match for the unstoppable force of the half-orc, bashing through the door to reveal an entire room full of mold, the room dark and icy; a further "chill touch" from the necromancer is enough to implode the mold back in on itself, revealing an unconscious half-drow woman, waking up in terror as the paladin lays his hands upon her. With Zyn calming his fellow drow with a blanket, Shensen as she is named slowly

explains her story, that she had traveled with Sarcem and fled to this room in the ensuing battle, that he last had the wands and breaking down in tears upon learning his fate. A caretaker to the inn's shrine, she is a Strider of Fharlanghn, and connected to the party's former comrades, Fario Ellegoth and Fellian Shard; while she did not know Sarcem well, she bore witness to his final battles against the Tongueater. Despite their aid, she finds the party rather unnerving, following after Quintessa as the latter attempts to reclaim her shackles and rope from the now-deceased captive; before leaving, however, Zyn steps up to ask more of the wands, Shensen saying she knows little save that a beautiful, red-haired woman, baring the mark of the dark god, Hextor, was most interested in them, and that Tongueater and his forces appeared to have targeted Sarcem specifically.

SUNDAY, HARVESTER 2ND, 594 CY

In time, the party makes their way back to the city, coming across Cora of the Stormblades, less than pleased as she tosses a number of heads before them, the remains of those foes that had escaped prior. With Stephen's soothing words, Cora calms a bit, but remains concerned about the party's lack of wands and the description of the other redheaded woman, reminding her of a woman named Triel, a Cauldron urban legend who had murdered a slew of guards before disappearing, becoming the local 'boogeyman' blamed whenever someone goes missing. Handing each a small purse of gold, Cora warns the party to work more closely together if their deal is to be successful. She leaves saying the Stormblades will return to Cauldron a day after them.

GODSDAY, HARVESTER 4TH, 594 CY

Returning to the city, rain falling heavily all around, they proceed to return the body, arms and armor of Sarcem to a most distraught Jenya, the new head of the church, who grows further concerned when the party lacks the required wands. Speaking of Triel Eldurast, an ex-town guard who fled justice after slaughtering her companions; the party warns that she may be pulling the strings of Tongueater's attack, and she explains of a possible connection to the Cagewrights, an ancient cabal of arcanists, and giving a bit of history regarding the unholy symbol of the "Ebon Triad" found upon the werebaboon and the other churches lack of effort in combating the flood in decades past. The party retires to Quintessa's abode, finding the nearby streets being sandbagged in preparation for the flood.

WATERSDAY, HARVESTER 5TH, 594 CY

That morning they make their way back to the church, finding Jenya conversing with the half-drow, Shensen, who eventually thanks the party for avenging Sarcem's memory, offering them a pair of boots of "striding and springing" and two scrolls of "levitate." Stephen offers up his own divinatory services, finding the current location of the wands beneath the city. This leads to talk of catacombs beneath the city, such as those that lay beyond Ghelve's Locks and the bath house. Breaking, the party gathers already learned information from members of the townsfolk, and meets at Skie's Treasury to resupply and plan their next strategy, seeking Ghelve's Locks and his secret entrance to Jzadirune, appearing untouched for months, although the sorceress fears it may not be as empty as he'd claim and convinces the party to re-examine it… finding very little in the way of threats. They find a skulk, utterly terrified since the party's last traverse, mumbling about a beholder possibly lurking around, but otherwise the realm remaining still. The party descends further to the remains of the dwarven stronghold that lay beneath.

EARTHDAY, HARVESTER 6TH, 594 CY

A day has passed, the flooding growing in size, as the party returns to the surface. Embryl Aloustinai, the highpriestess of Wee Jas, rarely sees visitors, as the party converses with Ike Iverson, her second-in-command, explaining the church's reasoning for their lack of wand creation, and that he knows little else of the recent turn-of-events. The Temple of Lordly Might follows, as the high priest of Kord, Asfelkir Hranleurt, is no more concerned about the flood's danger, although fearing that the Cathedral of Wee Jas may be behind the situation. The head of the Shrine of Pelor, Kristof Jurgensen, has good relations with Jenya, but likewise knows little else, aside from seeking information about Triel around the local taverns. He explains their lack of aid due to the shrine's last, two heads being slain in recent years, him being newly appointed.

Following the examination of the churches, the party seeks out the most notable taverns: "The Slippery Eel," "The Drunken Morcoth," "The Brass Trumpet," and starting with "The Tipped Tankard" that they were already familiar with. As Zyn buys a round for the house, Dregs performs his oratory, earning a spot of information from the tavern's cook, Artus Shemwick…

"I know you're looking for the wands. I can help, for a price. If you're interested, comealone to the Lakeside Pavilion tonight at midnight. Bring 500 gold coins and you'llwalk away with the location of the wands. Bring backup, and you'll never find them."

The location, near Quintessence, is behind the sandbag barrier, set up for a covert meeting. Likewise, Stephen hears rumors from a wench of Triel sneaking around the city, and Zyn is told of a guard spotting her around the north entrance of Cauldron, acting so brazen that she even neglects to hide her Hextor facial tattoo.

While Stinkeye and Stephen remain behind at the tavern, the rest make their way cautiously towards the meeting place, Zyn sneaking around among the rooftops to notice members of "The Last Laugh" thieves guild watching over the area; Dregs, Drakk, and Quintessa make their way to the pavilion at midnight, but two hours pass without sight or sound of anyone.

FREEDAY, HARVESTER 7TH, 594 CY

A note from the Stormblades is a request for the party to meet them at "The Brass Trumpet," requiring only one to join them in a private room, Quintessa and Zyn electing to answer, the former the best groomed and dressed, and the latter to watch her backside… while the others travel to "The Slippery Eel." At "The Eel," Dregs and Stephen are struck by three crossbow bolts from the rooftops, warning them to leave the premises, despite the paladin's plea for a temporary armistice; it avails him not, as he's nearly felled by the attack. Drrak, following, cares little for his companion's condition, suffering the same fate. Stinkeye, keeping a safe distance, offers up his gold in payment for his friends' safety.

Quintessa and Zyn enter the meeting at "The Brass Trumpet," learning that Triel is in the city, and a member of the Ebon Triad, a cult trying to get a foothold in the city and suspect a connection to the Cagewrights; they also learn of "The Last Laugh's" meeting failing, since the party did not follow the directions to the letter. As Zyn explains the woman being spotted at the north gate, they validate it explaining the location of the town hall and guard house in that vicinity.

Returning to "The Tankard," Drraks makes use of their bathes and finds another note, now asking triple payment in exchange for the wands' location, while Zyn and Quintessa act nonchalant. Stinkeye, Stephen, and Dreggs explore the north gate, learning from the guards of Triel's movements in the area being allowed. That night, Drakks goes alone; offering up the prize, the shade receives a crude map leading to a lava tube and the location of Triel.

STARDAY, HARVESTER 8TH, 594 CY

Leaving her alchemy shoppe, Quintessa and Curwen make their way towards "The Tipped Tankard," in an attempt to meet up with the remainder of the party, meeting two new allies along the way: a human fighter named Frederick, and an elf druid named Santana, with his bear ally, Carlos. The fighter, having been allied with the shade, had collected the note he had obtained that showed an underground lava tube said to lead towards Triel's lair… and the wands; however their drow companion, Zyn, is nowhere to be found, having run into trouble with the town guard after he and his wolf slept in a tree — Stephen leaves in an attempt to recover him, followed by Frederick, Santana, and Stinkeye to stock up on necessary supplies and sell unneeded gear.

Night soon falls, as Stephen returns empty-handed. Zyn, having been arrested and thrown into an underground dungeon, summons forth an owl messenger. A call of help to the Stormblades brings up a most flamboyant, and distressed, messenger, asking first-and-foremost about the location of the wands, annoyed at the party's ineptitude, but finally agrees to get Zyn out of trouble. Quintessa, having retreated to a far corner away from her party, in an attempt to ignore her fellows, drinks herself to unconsciousness… followed by the rest.

SUNDAY, HARVESTER 9TH, 594 CY

Morning, and the rain falls most heavily. Frederick, Santana, and Stinkeye, having found proper rest, meet up with the newly released Zyn and their worn-out allies, finally organized as they meet up outside of "The Tipped Tankard" and make their way through the city; every so often, they find a number of figures, peacock-plumed beneath overcoats, spying upon them. A couple of hours pass, as they follow the map to the location of a lava tube, emitting a most foul stench and appearing dark and narrow. Activating a sunrod, the sorceress lights their way as they traverse hundreds of feet down into the earth, noticing phosphorous fungus and a stronger stench emanating from a pool of rank, still, humid water. Near a thousand feet beyond, the tube ends at a sudden precipice and a small, stone building overlaid with dangling ropes across a deep underground lake, surrounded by a number of cages with mechanical devices and partially melted ruins.

A door to the left opens to a small room with a locked winch, usable in one direction by Stephen who turns it, causing the cage to lift and revealing another door to the far side. Opening this door reveals three figures wearing sashes similar to the brigands that had attached "The Lucky Monkey," one lunging forward to strike Stephen, the paladin's cries of pain echoing throughout the chambers, but they prove little threat to the party as a whole as Frederick proves his worth in cleaving through two of them, whilst impaled by the third. Crashing through the doorway, Carlos and Santana crush the third foe before he could activate his "stone of alarm," as perceived by Quintessa. At this point the party considers splitting up, using the cage to lower Curwen and Frederick, the winch worked by Stephen, while the others find a conceivably 'safer' route.

The foul stench of the water below belies the ripples and steam emanating from it, as the cage descends softly upon a beach baring melted ruins bearing an alien form; another building is nearby, a secondary winch-house. Once the cage has landed, the sorceress sends a whispered "message" down to her allies below, gauging the relative safety, giving a warning about the nearby lake. The cage is lifted, allowing Stinkeye and Carlos a chance to descend — upon reaching the bottom, the half-orc's darkvision notices a large creature within the lake. Finding the device unsafe to her own sensibilities, Quintessa attempts to "feather fall" down the cage's chain, only to come within reach of the lake-residing beast, struck fatally by its tail spikes and bite. Zyn and his wolf, magically shrunken, follow in the cage, with Stephen letting down Santana before someone brings him down from underneath. Exploring a room at the bottom, a trap is sprung, forcing the ceiling to collapse upon some of the parties — beyond the trap, however, lays the relative safety of the winch-house. Scouting around, Zyn spots the body of Quintessa floating upon the lake, successfully lassoing her and pulling her mangled form onto the beach.

Even miracles shine upon the most foul, but at a cost: through the valiant efforts of her allies, the sorceress is returned to life, but much of her clothing and equipment—and her most cherished familiar—is lost, leading her to scream in agony as if her soul had been wrenched from her. In a moment she regains composure, attempting to describe the evil-radiating beast that mauled her, a dreaded skulvyn, she fears. Seeking to get as far away as they can, they attempt to traverse through the winch-house, finding a massive and once well-establish domed room, some walls bearing single doors, one with double-doors. Forming a tight marching order, the front of the group slips another trap… desperately missing their shade companion. Stephen, the heaviest of the group, falls into a pit, Stinkeye, Frederick, and Curwen catching their fall; with some effort, they pull themselves free, hauling out the injured paladin. Zyn's keen elven eyes notices what appears to be another trap in the distance, and arrow slits line the walls.

Stephen, ever emboldened, marches forward and triggers the second trip as the floor opens up before him, balancing his weight enough to keep from falling a second time. Making their way carefully through, the party comes across a triangle-shaped room baring a massive storeroom beyond, with further arrow slits surrounding it. While the back of the storeroom falls into darkness, the paladin can not detect any evil aura. With her own unique insight, the sorceress recognizes this as a room used to forge "soul cages," magic devices heavy in the schools of abjuration, conjuration, and necromancy. Levers are discovered on either side are also discovered to reset or disable the traps, but doing so entices the sounds of skittering in the shadows — a mud slaad, a creature of muck, who's sonic shriek proves especially effective to Quintessa due to her magical attunement; unfortunately for the slaad, its shriek alerts the rest of the party, making quick work of it. With the encounter clear, a secret door where the foe had emerged is discovered, opened by the paladin's divine strength: a long hallway with a slant in the distance lays before them, leading to a dead-end.

Another secret door is discovered at the end of this hall, with another long, narrow hall beyond ending in a series of rooms. Stephen, at the forefront as always, attempts to knock upon the door, his fist held taught by Frederick who successfully opens the door with care and quietness. In the northeast corner of the room, Zyn, baring a cloak of arichnida taken from the

slaad, discovers a hidden door that leads back to the triangle-shaped room, albeit through a different passage, finding the crossbow traps behind its walls. After an exhausting, horrific day… the party deems this as good as any opportunity to rest.

Through the night, the sounds of footsteps can be heard through the pit room beyond.

MOONDAY, HARVESTER 10TH, 594 CY

Two guards emerge into the pit room in the morning, bearing the same colored sashes as before, discussing among each other about the missing "alarm stone." Rearming the crossbows, Zyn, Frederick, and Quintessa fire through the murder holes, gravely wounding them; the ranger takes the lead as some go to clear the passage, dropping the guards into the pit after taking their sashes and some meager possessions. As they regroup with their comrades, Zyn, Santana, and the rest notices peculiar sounds, but are unable to pinpoint the source or location. Paying it little mind, the continue through the dungeon as best as they can figure, Stinkeye's intuition warning him of dangers within the structures around them. Steven, bold as every, opens a wide passage into a tunnel crisscrossed with large, thick spider webs. Attempting to attune himself to the wands, Stephen senses them all around him, the strongest sensation deep beyond the webs.

Traversing some twenty feet they come across a fork in the road, the sensation of the wands felt from both directions, the party choosing to go left. Thirty-feet down the tunnels curve left again, giving the feeling that they're nearing the dungeon's entrance… and several monstrous spiders crawling in the distance around them, but appearing to be unaware of the party. Frederick, seeking to gain the most advantage, attempts to surprise them but is bitten by an unseen arachnid. Enduring the bite with great fortitude, he draws his blade in attempt to cleave his way through them, slaying one, and giving Stinkeye the chance to charge through and finish the job; Zyn impales the last with a javelin. Pausing a moment to determine the lair is clear, they're unable to locate any of the wands, but find another passage leading back into the entrance hallway.

Stinkeye, still excited by combat, is less than silent as they turn-about, Zyn noticing further movements all around them as they make their way back to the fork. From far above, Frederick spots spiders of greater girth and ferocity than before, including a pair of great size; charging forward, he attempts to slay one of the smaller offspring while drawing the attention of the brood. Santana follows, releasing Carlos to full size and strength so that he can mount him. Zyn, behind him, attempts to fire an arrow, but Carlos, Santana, and the webs prove difficult to fire past, injuring the druid before another shot slays Frederick's initial foe; the fighter, himself, narrowly rolls away from a large web fired from one of the giant vermin, leaving it fatally vulnerable to Stinkeye's mighty strikes, carving the beast asunder, and cleaving into one of its kin. Its mate, enraged, charges towards the half-orc with its webs and mandibles, piercing his rough hide. Stephen, a sense of divine strength surging through him, immolates himself, incinerating the webs around him… felling several spiders.

Curwen, channeling more arcane forces, fires "magic missiles" at the smallest of their foes, slaying two and wounding a third. A bigger vermin charges towards Stephen, its webs proving ineffective to his flaming form. Still shell-shocked from her soul-numbering experience the previous day, a ray fired from Quintessa just barely misses one of the remaining parents; Zyn picks up the slack, his arrows flying smoothly through the newly cleared room towards ceiling-bound spiders, while Frederick severs the ground-based foes… but a dread bite from one still-living hinders his strength. Vengeance is gifted upon him by Curwen's magic. Her spirit inflamed by her hatred, the sorceress's second ray strikes true, weakening the largest spider, giving Stinkeye a chance to finish it, the two dueling against each others natural ferocity. Carlos, likewise, regains its full senses after its rapid, magical regrowth, climbing up towards a spider to tear it to shreds, while its master fires a crossbow bolt against the last one that remains… nearly pinning it in place as Stephen's divine forces rocked him through the air, crashing through it.

Out of the southern passage, four ettercaps emerge, foul creatures most fond of the now slain spiders. Zyn, with his "cloak of arachnida," attempts to web them, finding it to be of no avail. Curwen pulls a bead from his necklace, tossing a "fireball" at them that proves more successful, slaying one that had been pierced by the half-drow's bow. Drawing forth what little natural forces exist underground, Santana "calls lightning" down upon them, in tune with Stephen's gentle descent from the ceiling. A bolt from the sorceress' crossbow aids Frederick in cleaving through the survivors. With the sounds of combat settled, the arcanists draw forth the natural venom from the spiders while the rest search the ettercaps, tracking their lair… and a large, harpoon spider, hiding in apparent fear, appearing to guard something, quickly dispatched by the party. A secret tunnel is also located, leading back to the location of the initial spider attack.

Emerging out of the catacombs, the party proceeds twenty feet down to see a door to their left and a hall to their right, turning right to find three doors before them on all other sides, turning right again to find a much more pleasant room opened by Quintessa's unseen servant, albeit with half-melted furnishings and housing a peculiar fellow, examining the invisibly opened door before disappearing himself… and causing a large churning of the air, an elemental standing before the doorway. Downing a potion, Zyn fully watches the figure exiting through the other side; undaunted, the drow knocks his bow and lets the arrow fly through the animated whirlwind while Santana calls down lightning, causing it to let out an echoing shriek; Curwen follows it with his magic missile, further weakening its form to be pierced by Frederick — having closed, however, leaves him vulnerable to its slam, the strong gust of air. The sorceress' attempt to dispel the being fails, but the same is not said for Stinkeye who's rage ignores the illogical nature of the elemental, only to be struck like his comrade. Weakened, Zyn's arrows finally dissipates it.

As the door opens, blue-sashed guards in a nearby alcove are left surprised… and slaughtered… by the drow and his magically shrunken wolf. Curwen's crossbow proves more successful than Quintessa's, aiding in their defeat. Stepping over the fresh corpses, the party finds a meeting room, and a door leading back to the beach outside. Upon the sand, Stinkeye notices murder holes above, struck by four bolt as he attempts to toss the bodies into the lake, which are soon devoured by the beast within. Figuring out the location of the murder holes, they make their way to the room, Frederick bursting in with a flask of alchemist's fire while those with range fill the air with arrows and bolts; nothing is left intact. Returning to the room that bore the elemental, the necromancer searches the various shelves and desks for a number of books and scrolls regarding the subject of mysteries, ancient documents worth a price. While he busies himself, the rest locate the door that the elemental's master escaped through, the sorceress' magic dispelling its arcane lock.

Open forcing the door open, despite Quintessa's warnings, Frederick and Stinkeye find themselves magically immobilized by a "sepia snake sigil." An attack of the mind affects those not frozen, but the party's mental capabilities resist it; the affect emanated from a small, halfling creature of long, dark hair and crimson robes. His eyes darting to-and-fro, the figure inquires about the party's business, their words are drowned by the twang of Zyn's bow. Injured by the arrow, he turns invisible and attempts to flee, but doesn't escape Zyn's enhanced sight, as the drow sees him skitter down a hall. Quintessa's attempt to free her comrades fails, and in short order her attempts to further concentrate are interrupted by the sound of alarm bells echoing throughout the dungeon, alerting a pair of rat swarms towards their location. The necromancer's attempt to lull them to sleep fails as it had before, and they even avoid a bolt fired from the sorceress' crossbow. Santana's blessings of nature are not enough, as the party is engulfed by the swarm, infecting Quintessa with their filth.

Drawing forth the decanter of endless water, Curwen succeeds in flooding out the swarms, drowning maybe. Bolts fired from the druid and sorceress fail to pierce them, but the ranger steps forward to crush them with his flail… only to hear incoming sounds from the hallway. Waylaying this to the party, he and the arcanists attempt a strategy. Santana, attempting to further search the shelves, cause them to collapse upon him… and this enables Zyn to find a hidden cabinet with a spellbook, and one of two "wands of control water," the second leaving only a space in the dust: Curwen quickly thumbs through the spellbook to find a cure for Frederick and Stinkeye, while the rest mount their defense. Zyn, stepping out into the hallway, calls forth an "entanglement" of vines, filling the narrow passage. Coming up over the ceiling approaches two spider swarms and a single, monstrous spider. Stepping besides her ally, Quintessa ignites the hall with her "flaming sphere," incinerating the swarms, but the monstrous vermin charge through, blocking up the door and giving the sorceress a chance to further incinerate that as she calls back the sphere; regardless, they burst through, as Zyn and Santana send their arrows and bolts flying, piercing their horrid flesh, returning their wrath upon the drow.

The combat grows closer, as Quintessa draws forth her dagger, to slash at their limbs, but they prove enduring. With great fortune, Curwen deciphers the foreign spellbook, using its power to free his comrades from the sepia sneak sigil. Discerning that the spiders are affecting only the immediate area, its decided retreating back to the caverns would prove most advantageous. Taking a breather to heal and ready their weapons, the party decides their plan, stepping carefully northwards into a further, well-decorated but dirty meal hall, turning through a door in the western wall into a moldy pantry — turning west again the party finds a full armory, including a double-dose of a "blur" scroll. Heading back into the previous room and turning the north, the party is immediately greeted by sashed minions, blocked by a door left firmly ajar. Quintessa and Carlos' bluff fails to dissuade their foes, while Stephen and Stinkeye proves more persuasive, crashing through the door as Zyn, Carlos, and Quintessa fire their arrows and bolts,

felling those who could not flee ahead. Frederick follows his allies lead, taking the charge and springing a web trap all around him.

Making their way back to the main entrance, they find one of the fled minions struggling to open a door ahead, quickly pinned in place by the drow's arrow. Frederick, not learning his lesson, keeps ahead of the party, opening the door that their fallen foe could not, entering into a large, multi-faceted room, with Stephen following, triggering a trap of his own that seeps poison into his veins, although too weak to hinder his divine physique. Stinkeye and Zyn are next to be attacked by the traps, while Quintessa takes pause, noticing holes throughout the floors, wall, and ceilings where the venom-tipped spikes and arrows emanate from. The paladin is not daunted as he pushes through the doorway, regardless, making his way into the small hallway beyond — Stinkeye does the same, but his fortitude is not enough to save him from the poison. Zyn, having spider-climbed upon the ceiling, successfully leaps down through the air into the hall, avoiding all harm with his acrobatics, finding a lever, two heavy for him to move.

Quintessa, decked out in her entertainer's garb, attempts to lie her bodacious bunny booty off against the foes coming up from behind, warning that in their merriment they accidentally tripped the trap, but Carlos' attempt to help reverses the situation, drawing their ire; however, the bruisers ahead of them succeed in flipping the lever, giving the rest of the party a chance at freedom and defense — but not soon enough, as Carlos and Quintessa are struck by a "lightning bolt," the latter further pierced by a crossbow bolt: their halfling foe from before had returned. She returns her wrath, targeting a "flaming sphere" towards the caster and his guards, who barely avoids it while two of his fellows are incinerated. Zyn, likewise, lets his arrows fly, piercing the caster in turn. Stinkeye uses the opportunity to charge towards him, baring his great axe down upon for a mortal wound. Stephen is imbued with holy might, his scythe cleaving their dread foe in twain; the four remaining guys step backwards, prone with fear, one immediately crushed by the drow's flail. Another is crushed by the bear, Santana, tossed through the air as his "shrunk" spell is removed, returning to full size. Stinkeye's attempt nearly fails, enough to incinerate him in the fire.

With the conflict ended, the party tries to recover, the paladin focusing his thoughts upon the dungeon, detecting the aura of evil throughout. Zyn quietly steps forward, noting a secret door that Frederick charges through, surprising the foes beyond, slaying one and cleaving through the others. The others follow after him, noting the familiarity of the room — identical to the crossbow-laden murder room they rested in earlier. Barricading the room, Stephen and Zyn's need for reduced slumber allows them to stand guard whilst their fellows receive much-needed rest.

GODSDAY, HARVESTER 11TH, 594 CY

Morning comes with the sound of a shaking door, foes beyond confessing their time for guard duty: their next day on the job is the last as Frederick, rested and ready, charges through into the hall, cleaving through them as he did their fellows the night before. One-by-one members of the party prepare themselves for their continued quest, casting needed defensive spells and readying meals, armor, and weapons — and studying the map left by their deceased arcane foe. With the area clear, they turn down a hallway they did not explore before, coming to a locked door. Zyn, summons an "ally of nature" behind the door, the monkey opening the door for the party before blinking out, revealing another large armory… and another, more sturdily locked stone door. Fearing the worst Quintessa examines it but finds little of note, her "mage hand" only serving to announce their presence as a "shatter" crashes everything upon their bodies that's glass-based not within their magical containers. As Stephen divinely shapes the door away, eight blue-sashed minions ahead charge at them… a crimson-haired woman standing back in the corner. Frederick fears not as he joins them in conflict, but his missed strikes allow him to be surrounded, pin-cushioning the brave and foolish fighter.

Triel, their fearsome target, gestures a spell, as her minions launch a full combat upon them. Zyn knocks an arrow, with Stinkeye raging through, suffering one blow after another as the half-orc makes a bee-line towards Triel — but the beast within him cuts through her magical defenses, but is still not enough to fell her. Stephen immolates himself once more, declaring the righteousness of justice, letting his own divine wrath burn a path through their enemies, suffering his own blows in turn. Carlos "calls lighting" upon Triel, striking her with the fury of nature. Frederick sees an opening, carving through one minion, while Zyn letting his arrows fly, and Quintessa dispelling Triel's "shield of faith." Stinkeye, buried in the foray, suffers the fury of the crimson one, nearly falling to his knees as she takes a long step back in defense. Zyn fires his bow once more, piercing her unholy flesh; a second bolt of lightning comes down that she narrowly misses — her minions are not so lucky, many burning before the paladin's flames. The half-orc is not out of commission yet, fueled by his rage, and the sorceress' own fury weakens the

bitch with her "ray of enfeeblement," leaving their once fearsome foe little more than fodder for Zyn's wolf and Carlos' bear. Frederick finishes up, cleaving through any that remain.

With her last ounce of strength, she embeds her falchion through the paladin… and is finally engulfed by her flames. When the carnage settles, Stephen hones his senses and detects the aura of one of the last two missing wands, returning back to the northern armory. Traversing further, Triel's head held aloft upon a pike, several of her former minions escape in terror before the horrid sight, some unable to escape the drow's webs… one quickly mauled by his wolf, the remaining dispatched by the paladin's holy flames. Beyond is a meeting room, hastily cobbled together; upon the eastern wall they find a door leading out to a hallway beyond, leading to a large room with a great pit trap resting within. Zyn attempts to traverse down with his cloak, becoming engulfed in the ooze of a "bloodbloater," levitating out of the pit after downing a potion. Stephen draws forth a wand, incinerating both the ooze… and the ranger. Surviving the ordeal, the party is more easily able to search the pit, locating the seventh "wand of control water."

Traveling south and then north they find a room bearing empty bunks, showing clear signs of a hasty vacation — the party is finding little resistance before them as they bear the severed head of Triel. Deeper into the depths they find a large cavern bearing esoterically-built cages with putrefied corpses, a torture room laying nearby; further is a half-finished hall with unreadied traps and murder holes: more tunnels, but lack the webs to the south. A door forty-feet down to the left, Stephen and steps forward cautiously, seeking diplomacy with what little remains of the enemy's forces. One fires a crossbow at the paladin out of fear, whilst his comrades drop their weapons, explaining that they're merely guarding the entrance to "Tarkiller's Cavern." Zyn's wolf slaughters the one with the crossbow, while Stinkeye cleaves through the rest. Leaving the corpses behind in their own filth, the half-orc takes the lead, undaunted by the sights of webs and a half-excavated dragon skeleton. Passing numerous stalagmites and stalactites, a "glyph of warding" all but bars the forefront of the party.

A massive, empty cavern opens up before them before narrowing back, setting off another "glyph," coming to a "T" guarded by some ogre zombies. Stephen reveals his holy symbol, partially turning them before Curwen casts forth his necromancy to "command undead." Past the zombies can be found a broken wand, once possessing the power of "animate dead." With a room to the left and a hallway to the right, the party splits up the zombies, the one turning west attacking a horrid "Spawn of Kyuss." Stinkeye finds himself fearful of this unnatural force, but the rest stand strong against the spawn's fearful aura, a shadow amid the glittering walls of the cave. Frederick steps forward, piercing its unholy flesh and rending it asunder. Taking a chance to fully examine the small, glittering room, Stephen draws forth one of innumerable keys, carefully opening the large, poison-trapped chest barring incredible treasures and the magical bags to carry them.

Turning about face, the party makes their way back to the ogre's lair, the zombies in front, the path untraveled reveals a huge, animated tyrannosaurus rex skeleton guarding a large room, unable to pass through the doorway. The paladin fights alongside the undead, an unusual sight, and is the first to be chomped by the creature. Frederick and Stinkeye join the fray, the former failing to smash against its surprisingly sturdy bones, but the half-orc crushing through it with ease, with Curwen commanding his zombies forward to shield the party. The bruisers unleash their fury, finding themselves in its overly large maul before breaking their way through. Quintessa, staying away from the danger, draws forth a "wand of cure serious wounds" to heal her allies' severe injuries before the party regroups and travels through an alcove embedded in the north, finding a nearly caved in room, the floor covered in scattered remains of ceilings and the bones of deceased adventurers, leading to a small hallway that forks back around, another room beyond showing further corpses charred by lava.

Finding little of value beyond, Stephen leads the search for the last "wand of control water," injured by yet another "glyph of warding" …and seeing eight human zombies, barring the blue and red ashes of Triel's minions — the holy light of the paladin's mark vaporizes their undead flesh. Zyn hushes the group, hearing distance whispers; the sounds of something far livelier than their previous foes, as Stephen gets a stronger sense of the final wand's location… and the fierce aura of the Underdark. Detecting a number of lesser dæmons, quasits, Stephen brings the sorceress along to attempt diplomacy, slicing through one with his scythe when words fail. A great gnoll huecuva, an undead cleric, the feared Tarkiller, is the master of these fiendish minions, striking back in vengeance and bringing the paladin down low. Stepping to his aid, Quintessa strengthens her defenses while Curwen fires off a necrotic ray, enfeebling the cleric as Stinkeye and Carlos strike in unison; the latter is fiercely struck by the huecuva's unholy spiked chains, inflicting him with the "huecuva's blight," before putting forth an "entropic shield." Frederick joins in the onslaught, attempting to sever its flesh, but a bolt from Quintessa's crossbow misses by a mile.

Zyn notches his own bow, the superior bowmen perfectly plying his trade as the arrow pierces through… but is unaffected. Curwen's arcane forces rock through the cavern with a "lightning bolt," drawing the huecuva's ire — but its touch of death does not phase the necromancer… the sorceress is not-so-lucky, her body resisting the negative energies emanating from its dark claw. Stinkeye, with one mighty swing, finally fells the agent of darkness… and recovering the eighth and final "wand of control water." Scrying for the Stormblades, who are waiting for the party at the top of the lift. Travelling with haste, the two parties finally meet up, finding the four 'Blades having guttered the lake monster that had terrorized the sorceress earlier. In exchange for the vast treasures and the glory, the Stormblades warn the party to wait a week as the chaos from the massive flood wreaks havoc across Cauldron, destroying the two lower levels completely — including Quintessence — as Jenya and the heads of the churches of Kord and Pelor utilize the wands for hours at a time, the guards losing control until the water is finally returned to its true calm.

Gathering at "The Tipped Tankard" at their finest rooms, the party keeps a low profile, their renown less than stellar throughout the city despite their true deeds; the Stormblades do recognize their efforts, rewarding the party handsomely, offering them the aid of one of their peacocked-paiges, and gifting them with splendid rewards — Quintessa being given the chance to call forth a familiar sooner than most, a new companion to replace the fiendish viper she had lost to Triel's selfish actions.

GODSDAY, SUNSEBB 11TH, 594 CY

Three months have passed, yet Quintessa's attempt to redress her tattered appearance and rebuild her life proved little fruitful, the time spent with her alchemy doing little to ease the sorceress' gloomy mind. While the flood waters may have abated, her pangs have not, and wandering through the reconstructed streets of Cauldron served only to remind her of her failures; her room at "The Tipped Tankard" revealing her to be nothing more than a destitute noble, her wealth, while vast even compared with her prior state, serving no other purpose than to blind others from her true character or substance. Seeking to fill the emptiness that had been consuming her, the sorceress made plans to leave Cauldron behind, at least for the moment, and make her way towards the capital city of the region some two-hundred miles away.

A sturdy coach is readied, stocked with the freshest of fine cheeses, meats, breads, and wines that could be obtained, as well as plenty of water to slake the thirst amid even the cooling weather of the Amedio Jungle. Hob Tanner was the coach's driver, aged but tough like the old leather his family had worked for generations; he cared little for the young woman's fanciful appearance, nor for any desire to traverse too far from home — the fate of Sarcem Delasharn still too fresh in his mind — but she had the coin and, as she claimed, the magical might to defend them, saying nothing of her adventures months prior. A huntsman there was, as well, Merovech the Magnificent he titled himself, a flamboyant and boisterous chap decorated with a feathered cap and a sharpened mustache and goatee. Claiming to have sailed the vast oceans of Oerth, Merovech had been plying his trade as a hunter, a minstrel, and a teacher… yet finding little, actual work in Cauldron. Jumping at the chance to join Quintessa on her travels, he offers his bow and blade to the young woman's defense, unable to attract her shadowed gaze.

With some fortune, the destruction that had been caused by the flood, combined with the righteous fist of Jenya and the churches (and the actions of Quintessa and her companions) had quieted the land enough for a relatively peaceful, if not uneventful, travel…

SUNDAY, SUNSEBB 23RD, 594 CY

Sasserine, the great capital city, appears before the approaching coach the noon of the feast day that, coincidentally, marks both the end of the year and the sorceress' birth, ending nearly two weeks of travel upon one of the Amedio's main highways. Paying the gate toll, Quintessa's spirits are as if bathed in the infernal flames, the sights and sounds of a bustling, and rich, metropolis surrounding her upon all sides… and little in the ways of foul rumors and damning insults to hinder her enjoyment. She could not part with her company quickly enough as she wandered from shoppe to shoppe, partaking of luxurious foods, soothing baths, and the finest in garments to clad her sumptuous form; most keen to her delight are the elaborately adorned jewelry crafted by the skilled artisans of Sasserine, no less fabulous than the magical baubles within her reach, from a cloak that heightened her personal magnetism, to a ring that strengthens her defenses, and wands that bolster her magical might. In truth, these tokens were little different from what she had possessed the previous year, but their loss was one of many events that had

left her feeling unlike herself, and claiming their equivalents was one step in making her whole once more.

That night, amid the stars of the city, Quintessa quietly celebrated the new year, thinking to herself of persons and patronages past and present, of the times and tidings that had helped to weave her life story and bring her to this point… and what future moments were to shape her destiny and fulfill her innermost desires.

MOONDAY, SUNSEBB 24TH, 594 CY

Just as the warmth and vibrancy was beginning to take root within her, the sorceress was forced to leave Sasserine far too soon, needing to make an early start back towards Cauldron. How she was growing to despise that city, yet a pang in her heart prevented her from fleeing its disreputable streets. No, she was not going to let its denizens crush her spirit just yet, not until she has had her vengeance upon those who've wronged her, be they living or dead. A sly smile curled across her face, ignoring the fantastical tales told by Merovech as she began to plan and scheme like never before…

GODSDAY, NEEDFEST 4TH, 595 CY

Midwinter Night.

FREEDAY, NEEDFEST 7TH, 595 CY

Feast of Fools. The entrance into Cauldron occurred far later in the day than she would have liked, what with the reconstruction of "The Lucky Monkey" still underway; yet despite this setback, Quintessa returned to the city with her head held high, bearing the appearance of a woman of wealth and splendor, power that, she mused, was to rival, if not surpass, the high nobles of this wretched pit. Months had passed since the destruction of her home and shoppe, but she was sure that those few who could have cared would have payed it little mind, and the many that despised her presence deserved not her attention — she was as she had been, a visiting noble of Amariel, the far-off land that had born her among one of their most prestigious houses of wizardry, and she had returned to reveal to Cauldron all that she was capable of, and more.

Yet despite the fairness of her outer appearance, even the most unlearned of the clergy could sense the void that was growing within her being.

GODSDAY, READYING 11TH, 595 CY

Great Moon's Glory.

SUNDAY, COLDEVEN 9TH, 595 CY

Half-a-Dozenmonth to the day of her familiar's demise, Quintessa's blackened heart called out into the depths of the Infinite Layers of the Abyss, ripping from them one of their own, a quasit named Fi'jit, a mischievous little fiend seeking to bind itself to the sorceress' foul spirit and aid her in her desires for ever greater wealth and power…

ZENITH TRAJECTORY MOONDAY, COLDEVEN 17TH, 595 CY

Another winter has come and gone, and in the time since the flood Quintessa's body and spirit have finally begun to mend. Traversing through the twisting back alleys of Cauldron, she smirks at the whispers and rumors of her companions' true deeds and actions having saved the remnants of the city, with the aspiring bard, "Z," raised as the city's lord-mayor, using his authority to replace the guard captain, Terseon Skellerang, with one Helmuth Ulrich Heinrich, a knight. Santana, friendly with the owner of "The Tipped Tankard," keeps the surrounding jungles safe as Cauldron's warden, whilst Curwen sets up a new alchemy shoppe to replace Quintessence, which also serves as a morgue. Zyn Argith finds himself the head of a thieves guild, rivaling "The Last Laugh," and Stinkeye crushes numerous competitors in an underground fight club, taking over a section of the abandoned lava tubes. All appear to be finding their calling, leaving the sorceress to enjoy the city's luxuries without a home to tie her down; yet, hiding amid the shadows, lays Lord Orbius Vhalantru, still believed to be pulling the strings of the city council, sitting upon the head chair of "The Magical Threats Agency" to further the city's defenses… and the sense of being watched, whether from "The Stormblades" or "The Last Laugh" guild, falls heavy upon the party.

Rumors also abound of the dragon, Gottrod, seeking to increase his territory among the jungles. Stephen and Frederick, seeking to end this threat, challenged the dragon with their unique brand of justice… and have not been heard from since. Musing over these events as she looks over the lake, "Z's" monkey, Seymour, pounces beside her, handing her a note from the new lord-mayor seeking to reunite the group at "The Slippery Eel" tavern. Commanding her new companion, Fi'jit, to alter form into a bat and keep hidden, Quintessa agrees to the meeting, enjoying the return trip and the gazes of the populace, before stepping through the doors of "The Eel" and taking a seat in the back, welcoming the familiar sounds of the gnome bard, despite his magical disguise; her fellows follow in time, and for just a fleeting moment she feels an emotion that may resemble joy. When the music ends, "Z" speaks more so of the mission put forth by Vhalantru, while Fi'jit tugs at Quintessa's dress, warning her of an awkward sound down the avenue. Whispering back in their secret tongue, she orders him to revert back and grab his crossbow from her haversack as they follow those also aware, the quasit taking to the air.

Making their way towards Magma Avenue, the sounds begin to thunder around them as a beast of great size crashes through one of Cauldron's buildings: an umber hulk of fiendish nature, it's horrid flesh resistant to mundane weapons. "Z" gleans the lore he had heard throughout his years, telling all he knew and fearing the beast was summoned by some dark art. As they ready themselves, they feel the aberration's gaze upon them, striking the minds of the party to their deepest core, before smacking Carlos and Santana with its great claw and then turning its attention towards the surrounding buildings; the only sound that echoes higher than the chaos is the song of "Z," emboldening his allies' hearts. This opens up an opportunity for Zyn to pierce its unholy form with magical arrows, but even they are not enough to distract it. Curwen, resisting the gaze, fires off a "ray of enfeeblement" to maximum effect, sharply reducing the hulk's strength; meanwhile, Seymour, traversing from building-to-building, seeks out the individual that may have summoned it — his master, through his music, attempts to fascinate the monster while also warning the crowd and his allies of its resistance to magic, telling them to seek cover if at all possible.

Helmuth, confused by the gaze, strikes against his own boss, but "Z" endures the hit, before being swept up by the crowd (by the lord-mayor's command); Quintessa and Fi'jit are just as spell-bound, seeing each other as the umber hulk but missing each other by a mile, her dagger and his crossbow bolt flying aimlessly — Stinkeye, incensed greater than expected even for a half-orc, swings and misses with his own axe towards "Z," as well. The crowds, frightened, charges past Santana and Quintessa into one of the back alleys, dissipating. Carlos, finding a moment of clarity, studies the umber hulk to find a weak point amid its great bulk. Ordering Santana to get into position, the hulk pays it no mind while he "calls lightning," storm clouds darkening the skies above. While a direct attack would end "Z's" musical charm, he uses his hold on it to guide its head into the large window of a nearby building, turning its gaze from the party. Zyn's new companion, an onyx panther, is instructed to track the scent of the hulk towards a warehouse down the avenue, joined with Seymour, unable to determine if their foe was summoned or merely burrowed up from the residence.

Curwen, calling forth the new abjurations he had learned in the last half-year, manages to dispel the confusion caused by the gaze, much to Quintessa's delight. As Stinkeye and Santana flanks the hulk, Zyn knocks his bow, letting an arrow fly and once more piercing the beast — pulling it out of its own stupor. The sorceress and her quasit, clear-minded, turn themselves invisible and vacate into the allies, hoping to avoid its gaze. Helmuth, not as fearful, stands before their foe, radiating a fierce aura that challenges its supremacy — but even his blade is not enough. Stinkeye adds his might, his magical axe slicing through muscle and sinew… to little effect. The fury of nature is unleashed with Santana, but the beast is beyond even the wild's wrath: the hulk is as enduring as the mountains. Carlos, not beaten down yet, envelopes the area in an "obscuring mist," which hinders its sight, its claws avoiding Helmuth… but not the buildings.

Down Magma Avenue, Panther and Seymour search the rubble of the warehouse's floor, finding what little remains of the summoning circle that had brought the beast forth from the depths. The panther's master, Zyn, continues to let his bow sing, quickly turning the hulk into a pin cushion. Unfortunately the "mist" proves a hindrance to Curwen, as well, as the "lightning bolt" released from his hand narrowly misses the hulk, despite its huge size. In the distance, the sound of Cauldron's finest is heard, coming to the aid of the party, "Z" finding cover as his eloquent words instruct them to battle. Helmuth, coming too from the gaze, furthers his challenge, drawing its ire away from the others. Quintessa and Fi'jit emerge from the alleys, using their invisibility to their advantage as she hastes those allies not obscured by the "mist," while Carlos calls down a bolt of lightning, striking the hulk while his bear mauls it as it faces and fights only Helmuth, slashing at him with its claw. Turning its sight upwards, however, strikes at the heart of Zyn, standing back and babbling rapidly; his panther, having returned with Seymour, comes to its master's defense as it strikes back with vengeance, its unnatural form withstanding the gaze.

With haste Curwen steps forward, drawing forth a flask of acid to smash against the umber hulk's bulbous eyes, but a poor aim bathes his allies in the caustic liquid, as well. "Z" calls out to the city guard, directing them through the alleys to strike from behind, aiming for the eyes whenever possible. The sorceress, averting her eyes as the beast ignores her invisible form, is able to quicken the thoughts and movements of the allies once obscured by "mist" once it lifts, while Stinkeye and Santana swing ferociously, and Carlos, afflicted by the gaze, holds onto his senses just enough to strike down another lightning bolt. The umber hulk, growing weakened by the onslaught, swings helplessly against Helmuth, his armor resisting its narrow swipes. Zyn is unfortunate, depending on one asks, his fear forcing him to flee away, but leaving him truly impotent as he turns to fire an arrow from a safe distance. Curwen, close to the danger, lets fly another flask of acid, striking the monster square in the face, its shrieks echoing throughout the alleys as an eye begins to melt — this enables the guards to safely attack from all sides, blinding its other eye, with the quickened Helmuth proving his worth, his blade piercing the joints of its legs and claws.

Ending her invisibility prematurely, Quintessa tries to add her spell-arm to the encounter, but her wand is unable to break its magical defenses. Stinkeye is more successful, as is Carlos and Santana, crossing axe with claw and lightning; amid all of this, the umber hulk focuses all of his fury against Helmuth, but its ruined sight is its downfall, claw-after-claw swiping at little more than air. The drow's keen eyesight allows him to target the foe despite the vast distance that separates them… the arrows piercing through the foe's skull, becoming its end. Inside the warehouse is completely trashed, showing off the rubble where the beast may have emerged. Maavu Arlintal, the proprietor, is nowhere to be found — possibly at his office, according to what few employees remain. A rumor of him leaving at dawn, north, atop a horse with hooves of clouds abound. Eventually, "The Magical Threat Agency," appear to assess the situation — haughty, but proud of the party's accomplishments, some offering to chaperon them to visit the ex-lord-mayor, the rest staying behind to clean up the streets.

Studying "The Agency," their existence appears to have been assembled to fill the void left by the party in the interim six months during their absence, while "The Stormblades" having kept low, the truth of their in-action coming to light. As the party makes their way to the ex-lord-mayor, he faintly admonishes the party's attraction to trouble, but asks a favor for an a friend of his, an invitation to meet with a mysterious woman named Celeste, a strikingly beautiful woman, new in town and quiet of deed. The invitation is towards a private club called "The Cusp of Sunrise," a well-known dinner club for nobles, allowed only by other members; the party is carefully warned, however, to 'dress appropriately'. Travelling towards the northern avenue the party makes their way towards a high-walled, ivy-clad building flowing with soft music and riotous laughter. The front door, emblazoned with the phrase 'members only', they are met by a largely-built man named Renjin, recognizing the party as those who dealt with the umber hulk. Drawing froth the invitation from her cleavage, Quintessa presents it to him and he allows them through.

Within are a number of nobles casually telling stories or playing games, drinking wine from slender flutes, eating exotic dishes with fine cutlery. "Z" draws their attention with his soothing words, whilst his monkey slips from pocket-to-pocket, seeking information (and gold). The rest of the party seek out the east-wing, despite the guard at the door forbidding them to do so, finding it bearing a number of offices, several guarded by a "mage's private sanctum" and guarded with an "arcane lock." "Z" looks out into the distance, finding the ex-lord-mayor and a number of well-known Cauldron nobles, including the parents of "The Stormblades." Quintessa, once exhilarated at the thought of attending such a high-class establishment, grows quickly disheartened since all nobles and employees are fascinated by the bard's music… and regretting her lack of ingested poisons to lace the various drinks. Through the fascination, "Z" attempts to gather information through his alluring music, including the Taskerhill's seeking to hook him up with their daughter, Annah, one of "The Stormblades," and that Celeste was last seen with an ancient-looking dwarf, Ironlord Davked Splintershield.

As the evening settles, Celeste appears at "The Cusp," offering whatever food and drink the party wants before leading them to Davked, the emaciated, near-skeletal dwarf seeking heroes to rescue his long-departed son, Zenith, less he succumb to his wasting curse. Lord of the Malachite Fortress, Zenith sought to remove the Underdark of evil with a great army, and all were slain or taken by the darkness. Marta, cursed Davked with her dying breath for having driven their three sons ages earlier, with Zenith the only one remaining. He claims that cleric and wizard alike have failed to remove his curse, but have determined that Zenith still exists within the Underdark depths — he offers each a choice magical relic, and a grand reward of ten-thousand gold upon their successful return, as well as Celeste offering true membership into "The Cusp." However, she warns that "The Stormblades" had collapsed the tunnels of Jzadirune a month earlier, leaving no easy access to the Underdark save for a fissure far outside of the town, near the home of one "Crazy Jared."

GODSDAY, COLDEVEN 18TH, 595 CY

Celeste has provided a map to the home of "Crazy Jared," a forty-mile trip through the wilderness — an expected two-day trip by horse, getting the use of a finely wrought carriage; whispers of great horrors far to the north, including the rumors of dragons, haunt the party. As they make their way into the depths of the jungle, they find themselves stalked by a devourer, an undead of great terror that consumes the souls of those it slays, storing their life force within their exposed inner bodies as a gruesome effigy. As "Z" attempts to distract it, Stinkeye charges in from the side with his great axe while Zyn fires his bow, but they fail to hinder it in any meaningful way, as does Quintessa who's attempt to command it does not penetrate its defenses. Santana follows with his crossbow, followed by Carlos's great claws; seeking a more defensive route, Fi'jit takes on his wolf guise and turns invisible, as his master shields them. The devourer is beset upon by all sides, its unholy flesh being torn asunder, with the knight driving his blade through both of its hearts, ending it.

With calm settling upon them the party mulls over the scant information and curious rumors that they had been given up to this point, readying themselves for the coming days less the drake they had heard tales of sails over the horizon and lays waste to their band.

EARTHDAY, COLDEVEN 20TH, 595 CY

A day of peace passes before the party makes its way towards a hill in the distance, alight with red flame — Gottrod, the dragon they feared. The party, having expected such a confrontation, readied their weapons, casting spells to hide them from sight, hasten their movement, and protect them from fire, before confronting the great beast incinerating the supposed hut of Crazy Jared. Zyn challenges the drake first, unleashing his arrows to critical effect… and drawing his ire as it engulfs the field with intense flames, the party's protective spells absorbing the blinding heat. Santana, understanding the creature's nature, blasts it with nature's freezing cold. Carlos, with Helmuth riding upon him, unleashes his bear fury and tosses the raging Stinkeye towards the dragon, armed with his mighty axe. Gottrod snatches the half-orc in its maw, however, but leaves himself wide open as the blade severs muscle and sinew.

With a test of mettle, the bold knight challenges the dragon, charging towards him atop Carlos. The arcanists strike together with necrotic rays, draining the very soul of the dragon, while Crazy Jared emerges from the ruins declaring the armies of "Anduria" to attack, magically adorning himself with regal clothes and enchanting the party with his bardic music. Zyn fires true again, further wounding the beast with his deadly arrows. With music strengthening their hearts,

Helmuth and Stinkeye renew their desire to fight, but it avails them little as their foe drops from the sky, pinning the knight and his bear mount beneath it while sinking his teeth into the half-orc before tossing him aside. Stinkeye, showing great fortitude, recovers from the fall and charges and leaps once more, embedding his axe into the dragon's central nervous system. Using Gottrod's distraction to his advantage, Curwen fires off another ray of "enervation," while Quintessa enfeebles him.

The fearsome drow pin cushions the dragon, but its mighty form is resilient enough to bathe the field with crimson death, leaving Fi'jit grievously wounded despite his fiendish defenses. Santana stands in the defense to the equally helpless Carlos, with Stinkeye aiding with terrific slashes from his axe. Curwen further weakens him, Quintessa fires a bolt of force straight and true, allowing Zyn to pierce it through the heart, giving Stinkeye the opportunity to end him. Thankful, "King Jared IV" heaps praises upon the party, unconsciously masking the area in a grand illusion. Raporting with him, the party learns that Gottrod had attacked the "Kingdom of Anduria" seeking a "star" for the favor of the "Dæmon-Queen of Kheltos," the bard's insanity coming well to the forefront.

Despite his madness, he proves to possess great knowledge regarding the Underdark beyond his realm and the dread illithids that call it home. Calling for his servants (i.e., the sorceress' "unseen servant"), the party partakes of the king's false splendor for a well-deserved rest. Bahl-Hamatugn, their destination, is drawn upon a map by Jared, with the sorceress coolly studying both his mind and his illusions, storing such knowledge for later use. As dusk settles, Fi'jit communes with the dark forces on behalf of their target, Zenith Splintershield, learning that he still lives, is still of sound mind and body, is well guarded, and is capable of forgiving his father. They also learn from these voices that their map, despite its source, is accurate… but even the gods can not determine the party's doom when queried.

FREEDAY, COLDEVEN 21ST, 595 CY

The Pit of the Ten Jaws lays before them after a day's travel, with the drow descending into the darkness first… coming face-to-face with a cryo-hydra, resting at the bottom of a 30-foot square chasm, which Quintessa warns is quite vulnerable to fire. It immediately blasts the air above them with frigid arctic cold, freezing the party to their core. Zyn, returning to the surface, drops a bead from his necklace of fireballs, scorching the pit in time for Stinkeye to leap down, cleaving through eight of the magical beast's heads, before embedding his great axe into its body, followed by "Z's" flaming sphere; unfortunately not all of its severed heads were cauterized, as six new ones grow from their severed raw stumps, striking at the noble flesh of Helmuth, challenging the beast to single combat, as he feather falls down after it… and into the flaming sphere. The ranger draws his trusty bow, piercing its heads with envenomed arrows, withering one, leaving it wide open for the half-orc's ferocity.

Further flames are cast, from the magical forces of nature wielded by Santana, to the alchemical might of Quintessa, closing off further stumps; however its few remaining heads remain active, breathing heavily upon Helmuth and Stinkeye, just saved by the curing wand of "Z," giving the barbarian the resurgence needed to eviscerate the hydra. Together the party channels the heat of their spells and alchemy, intent on ending this threat. The bard descends upon the pit with his songs strengthening their hearts, drawing forth his emblazoned sword while commanding his flaming sphere, aided by Fi'jit's crossbow and Quintessa's bomb; yet heads continue to grow, showing forth its unnatural ferocity. As the pit shakes with the power of barbaric strength and sorceress power, the creature is continually being decimated, one stump after another being cauterized as soon as the heads are severed. Stinkeye's great axe proves its worth, with even Seymour the monkey, the gnome's trusted companion, aiding in their conflict, while Carlos biting off its last head and Santana's flaming blade putting the final end to it.

Feather falling to safety, the party takes a much needed breather as the sorceress attempts to raise the ten-headed hydra's corpse as a zombie under her command, and Zyn searches the corpse of one of his kin, its last meal. The robe of usefulness, not-so-useful to its former owner, is quickly pick-pocketed by the parties to hilarious results. In time the party settles, recovering from their ordeal as their sneakier members peer through the fissure that the hydra had emerged from.

SUNDAY, COLDEVEN 23RD, 595 CY

After two long, dull days descending into the bowls of the earth, the tunnel the hydra had guarded opened up into a vast cavern littered with old corpses; Zyn cautiously searches among

the bodies with a sense of growing dread, with Helmuth recognizing their banners as the standard described by Jared as belonging to his "Kingdom of Anduria." Out of the ground emerges a number of wraiths, lashing out against the intrepid heroes, their deathly-cold touch sending shivers through the drow and the necromancer, but they retain their spirits; Zyn is quick to counterattack, with Carlos the bear adding nature's fury to strike back against the unnatural horrors. Despite their noble offense, the incorporeal spirits are enduring, resisting even the magical strikes of their weapons… but Quintessa follows suit, shielding herself and her familiar from their necromantic power.

Helmuth then stands forward, searching through the ghostly corpses' to challenge the mettle they once possessed, with Curwen failing to command the foul spirit that resisted. Zyn and Santana each take a step back as their arrows pierce the veil of night to strike at their black hearts, with one of those remaining returning the favor, draining the life force of the knight… before being evaporated by Stinkeye's vicious greataxe. The sorceress and necromancer fire off bolts of force energy, striking true as ever, diminishing the final wraith… which coalesces into a great wraith that towers before them, casting a shadow that would darken even the blackest night. The ranger recalls his wondrous panther companion, before he and his drow companion both fire once more, the fearsome specter focusing solely upon Helmuth as it seeks to devour his soul. The half orc rages blindly at this unnatural abomination, his swings missing; Quintessa is more effective, commanding the very shadows themselves to conjure forth fiendish monstrous spiders, surrounding it.

Their dread foe proves too terrible to be overcome by Curwen's necromancy, even withstanding the aerial strikes of the drows, as does Stinkeye, who endures its cold touch and focuses his rage, cutting through its unhallowed form. With Helmuth standing between them, Quintessa and Fi'jit retreat, firing off a "magic missile" at its heart but her spiders fail to hinder it; Curwen follows suit with his own arcane power. Unfortunately, its black hand still stretched over them, further draining the life from the knight before finally being vanquished by Stinkeye, his raging spirit proving more potent than even the beck and call of death itself. With the cold graves before them finally stilled the party was able to recover their strength… and the weapons and equipment of those that had come before; strands of prayer beads and a torch-like "candle of invocation," scrolls that could lay foes into slumber or awaken an ally from eternal rest, and even the legendary "holy avenger," the most sought after blade wielded by the noble paladins — the sorceress took great interest in it for her mastery of magic proved capable of claiming the sword's might as her own, despite the wretched, blackened soul that lay within her.

MOONDAY, COLDEVEN 24TH, 595 CY

While the day blossomed above in the over world, the shadow of the Underdark and the vast stronghold of Bahl-Hamatugn loomed before the party. Without warning the holy blade, "Dawn Breaker," held in the hands of the sorceress, speaks to her which she immediately announces to the party; temporarily handling it to "Z" to question it, as it introduced itself and its lost owner locked away within the dread fortress, before handling it back to her who's mastery of magic enables her to overcome its hatred for dark-entities, tricking it into believing that she is a paladin. In this distance the more keen-eyed among them noticed a large lake of brackish water, with no discernible traps along its smooth, well-worn path; everyone hears a long canoe paddling through the mist over the water, a frog-like creature at its helm. The bard steps forward cautiously, seeking a more diplomatic route, the kuo-toa, Ab-haka, asking if they seek "the smoking eye?," speaking very cryptically about the comings and goings of Bahl-Hamatugn and the dangers within and without. They are able to treat with him, but the travel across proves most uncomfortable to both the bard and the quasit; the former casts a spell that brushes aside the foul air which impresses the kuo-toa, comparing him to his boss and naming him a child of the "sea mother," Blibdoolpoolp. Only Helmuth, still too injured from the fight with the wraiths, stays behind.

At the far end of the lake the party makes their peaceful departure of their guide, before turning to face the dark stairway of the temple, "the maw" …and coming across one Lebrecht, one of the lost paladins of Zenith Splintershield, who is gifted with the Dawn Breaker, who's disposition immediately sours towards the sorceress. Ascending the stairway they find themselves besot by arrows from the inner depths, emerging from the figure of a great stone fish and its fiery red eyes, each bearing a kuo-toan. Zyn, Santana, Quintessa and Fi'jit answer the first volley with one of their own, gravely injuring one and allowing "Z's" monkey a chance to climb up and sneak up on them while he attempts diplomacy with them, convincing them to halt their belligerent actions, but in turn allowing them to escape and call for reinforcements. Fearing the worst from the dread fortress the spellcasters ready their spells and the bard raises their spirits

with his song, with the sorceress announcing themselves as scions of Blibdoolpoolp as they head into the darkness. Their ferryman guide is returned to them, siding with their silvered tongues.

Within is a well-finished temple depicting a number of grand frescoes and well-carved statues of great kuo-toa heroes of their past, honoring the name of the "sea mother." Closer examination reveals a humanoid figure on the fresco being more freshly painted. Being warned of the dangers of the double-doors ahead, its magical enchantment beyond even the sorceress' ability to dispel; a splitting path lays before them, with the party turning left towards the temple's barracks, before turning towards the prison, which even their guide fears to tread for the horrors imprisoned within; not heeding such warnings, the portcullis barring the room, terrible in its screeching, is opened only for a short time, revealing what appear to be three humanoids, radiating a dark aura that cautions Leberecht but he aids them, regardless, two of whom immediately flee and the one that remains appearing as no more than a human child; Quintessa shakes her head, suspicious of these prisoners and fearing the worst in the near future; but despite her protesting they take the child with them as they descend further down into the temple, intimidating their guides until they reach the torture chamber, lit with fearsome braziers, highlighting off of the brackish pool before them.

As the party discusses their next plan, even pulling forth a rowboat from their "robe of many things," Quintessa studies the substance of the pool that was also of the lake, a caustic substance that risks the dissolvement of anything organic or even magical; a kuo-toan guide is intimidated to "volunteer" as the first to wade through, quickly succumbing to it; Leberecht, witnessing this horrid event, focuses his divine power and recognizes the source of this most foul evil. Zyn, however, is able to bypass it with his "cloak of spiderclimb" and a "potion of invisibility," but even he is noticed by the wretched beast that appears floating before them — a mind flayer, who immediately reads the thoughts of "Z" as the ranger was attempting to carry him aloft along the vaulted ceiling. Silently watching with a wicked smile, Quintessa remembers her last encounter with such a being, silencing her own morbid thoughts less it aims its wrath against her. Fortunately it looks so down upon the party that it allows them to retreat, perhaps knowing it'll have them at a later date of its choosing.

Returning to the center foray, Quintessa commands her "unseen servant" to try and open the double-doors, conjuring forth a second when its trap vanquishes it; yet their youthful ally proves surprisingly useful in her attempt to disable it, revealing a hallway and similar doors beyond. Having made little headway, and with Quintessa's prior experience, they contemplate striking forth against the mind flayer, Leberecht and Curwen protecting the party from evil with Zyn downing a potion to haste himself, calling the creature's true name in his "oath bow" …only to find it missing, but retaining its undead servant within the brackish pool, a mummy, facing the drow's ferocity as it emerges forth, radiating a dread fear before it; many withstand it with their stout hearts, the sorceress standing most bold, her necromatic knowledge hardening her own blackened soul. Following the ranger's bravery is Santana with his handcrossbow and Stinkeye's shortbow, their arrows and bolts piercing the mummy's unholy flesh, flaying it piece-by-piece. While Quintessa's commanding presence is not enough to deter their foe, Curwen's fireball incinerates the room, Zyn narrowly avoiding the intense flames… and withstanding the noxious fumes that remain after the brackish pool is obliterated.

When the mist clears the party gathers and makes their way through to the end of what appears to be a dead end, "Z" utilizing his "chime of opening" upon a secret entrance to the "shrine of the sea mother," bearing a massive statue to the lobster-formed Blibdoolpoolp, surrounded by smaller kuo-toan statues and a pool of their kind in a mysterious kuo-toan ritual, recognized by the sorceress as a dedication to their deity. "Z" steps forward as her "scion," calling upon their servitude and discovering them to be solely focused upon their single act; a hivemind to summon forth a dæmon. Being warned of this event by the sorceress, "Z" attempts to counter their "song" with his own bardic music, Zyn letting a single arrow fly during the confusion, before climbing up the slimy walls alongside Seymour the monkey, while Quintessa calls upon her hydra zombie; yet a voice echoes in their minds, the mind flayer, floating above, commanding them to stop, confessing that he is impressed by the party's prowess, demanding a trade with their intended target, Zenith. Diplomacy fails, however, as the mind flayer vanishes, sicking his enthralled kuo-toa minions upon them.

"Z" follows Zyn as the drow fires his bow upon their foes, narrowly avoiding the black lightning of the kuo-toa's dark clerics. Quintessa hastes those that remain, taunting the thralls desires for human flesh by bending over and spanking herself, Fi'jit launching a bolt from his crossbow against Zyn's target; the increased vigor upon Lebrecht and Stinkeye send them charging against the lesser kuo-toas, drawing the ire of those they don't cut down. "Z," calling upon the forces of nature, begins to summon forth a fearsome crocodile into the fray. Zyn brings

his own wrath down upon one of the clerics that had harmed him before, his arrow piercing him through his very soul; yet another attempts to hold-fast Lebrecht, his divine might allowing him to stand true. Behind the foul spellcasters the altar explodes with evil as the erinyes, Aushanna, a fallen angel, and its bearded devil companions, are called forth from the Nine Hells. From the stairs Lebrecht and Stinkeye leap through the air, catching the edge of the upper platform. On the lower platform Quintessa's hydra zombie tears into one of the thralls that wads too close through the vile pool beneath the platform, but her attempt to augment the party's offense goes awry as her summoned shadows are immediately dissolved by the pool, as she feared — her dæmon proves his worth, though, piercing a kuo-toa out of the zombie's range.

From the wild "Z's" crocodile emerges, clamping its mighty jaws upon a cleric, pulling him into the pool and enduring the pain of the wicked substance as it ferociously spins around, while its gnomish master telepathically speaks with the erinyes, convincing it to fight on their side against its own masters — Seymour, far up upon the walls, drops rocks down on a bearded devil, as Zyn fires his arrows at thralls and bearded devils on the upper level. Their foes are not yet finished as the standing clerics regroup, bullrushing Lebrecht and Stinkeye into the pool below, with the devils teleporting before Zyn and Quintessa, wounding them with their foul being; the erinyes turn on her kin, launching her flaming arrows as the hydra's ten heads begin to devour the unholy flesh of the devils as Quintessa shields herself and Fi'jit. Lebrecht, submerged in the pool, loses the swimming power of his magic ring before emerging to cleave his holy blade into a cleric, followed by Stinkeye's tome having been broken in the fall; his rage is unrelenting, the half-orc ruining another with his vicious axe. "Z's" crocodile spins violently, mauling its meal, while the bard continues to sing sweet words to the erinyes, learning of the flying devil's connection to the mind flayer.

The dark forces begin to thin, the ranger's bow proving the demise of a thrall, his mindless companion firing its own bolts back upon the party as a bearded devil plunges its claws into the hydra zombie; the necromatic might of the sorceress is their end as she unleashes her vengeance upon them, slaying the thrall with a "magic missile" while the zombie rips apart its devilish foe. Lebrecht, standing tall upon the platform, strikes into the heart of the altar, breaking the conduit of the clerics' dark power. Charmed by the gnome, the erinyes, Aushanna, flies down to the lower level as the last foes fall… meeting betrayal with betrayal as the party focuses their might against her, arrows and bolts flying, holy blades and vicious axes slicing through foul flesh, felling their one-time-ally as its clipped corpse falls into the wretched pool… with the paladin falling after her as he leapt into the air to land the finishing blow.

With the carnage having settled the party fully explores the altar room, examining the left of two doors that bars a room containing more of the viscous goo that pooled below them and the opposing room in the distance — radiating a magical aura of fierce evil. Zyn, standing behind Lebrecht, announces their presence but receives no voice in return. Quintessa, backed by Curwen's necromantic knowledge, studies the substance and further determines its antimagical properties, nixing any attempt to freeze the liquid with a "chilled touch." Fi'jit's darkvision allows him to identify the source of the auras, a number of magical totems in what appeared to be the quarters for the high priests of Blibdoolpoolp. Daring as ever, Lebrecht, under the sorceress' command, is ferried across the minor pool via her hydra zombie until the undead creature is cowed in awe by an unknown force beneath the depths, causing the paladin to lose his balance. As the rest of the party readies themselves, a kuo-toan cleric and a great beast under its command are discerned by the necromancer's "arcane sight," radiating evil auras of their own. The quasit launches his crossbow but the bolt misses its target through the murky depths; Zyn is better trained and more successful, his arrows piercing the liquid depths. Santana follows suit, wounding the cleric with his own crossbow.

Dark magics are unleashed by their foe, dissolving the hydra to dust and leaving its paladin rider prone… and vulnerable to the beast as it leaps from the waters, striking him: a half-fiendish minotaur stands before them, and before the fury of Stinkeye, the half-orc cleaving through its flesh as he charges it. Lebrecht stands up and plunges his holy avenger into the foe, extinguishing its life and leaving only its master before them, targeted by the the ranger's stone panther. Unfortunately even its great bite can not pierce the hide of this most fearsome kuo-toan, who's being even resist's the ranger's precious "slaying arrow" — but the strength of the sorceress' arcane might proves devastating as she suppresses two of the foul auras radiating from their foe, leaving him open to a piercing strike from her familiar's crossbow. Two opposing forces, Santana the druid and Curwen the necromancer, join their powers as the former rises up tentacles around their foe while the latter attempts to exhaust him… but to little effect as the villainous cleric launches a clawed spear from the water, grappling the quasit even as it hovers in the air. Stinkeye and Lebrecht keep away from the edge as the barbarian fires his own bow while the paladin strikes at the unholy relics surrounding them.

The ranger and his companion attempt a double blow against their foe while the sorceress further weakens it, her entrapped familiar attempting to hide himself with his natural invisibility… but to no avail as it immediately drags the dæmon into the water, severely wounding it before striking back against the panther, despite Curwen's attempt to enfeeble him and Stinkeye's makeshift grappling hook dissolving in the substance. The drow ranger's bow proves invaluable once more, wounding their foe as the great bear, Carlos, descends into the pool, magically enraged by the ranger, attempting to sunder the kuo-toan's spear. Curwen draws upon the heat of his own fury as he ignites the water with his "burning hands," reducing it to a steaming-hot, poisonous fume. With great misfortune the foe survives, rending the quasit much to Quintessa's soul-shrieking horror. Stinkeye and Lebrecht leap into the newly unveiled pit but are lost in the fog, while the less brash among them wait for Curwen to unleash a gust of wind to blow the fumes out through the other room… leaving the kuo-toan before them to suffer their wrath as the livid sorceress summons forth two shadows in the shape of monstrous spiders to flank it, leaving it wide-open to Carlos' glistening fanged maw, tearing into its flesh.

As a last-ditch effort it unleashes an enchantment upon the paladin and sorceress, drawing them towards it under its dark command; the barbarian, blind to such sweet words, charges past them in a rage, swinging his axe with the fury of a giant. Lebrecht and Quintessa, mindless, are brutally struck by the kuo-toan's spear, but the force of the blade awakens them, with Carlos parting them as he mauls him with nature's fury, followed by his master as Santana dives after him, joining him with Curwen's bolt in slaying him.

GODSDAY, COLDEVEN 25TH, 595 CY

As Quintessa silently mourned the loss of her companion, the loss of her own being, the party begins to explore the lower levels of the fortress, turning left beyond a large set of double-doors to examine a set of workshops and scant, few treasure. Under the effect of the sorceress' greater invisibility, Seymour the monkey flits ahead to explore further into the depths, calling upon his master, "Z," to check for traps at a door further beyond, revealing two-dozen motionless kuo-toas armed and dead — an evil aura radiating throughout the room. Lebrecht steps forward to examine their remains, falling into a pit trap he unknowingly sprung; thinking quickly, Quintessa softens his descent with a "feather fall," but is unprotected from the gem-encrusted spikes… and the wraith that emerges from the walls, its touch chilling him to the soul. The paladin calls upon the righteous fury of his deity, the holy power of his blade gifts upon it a smoldering wound. Santana launches a bolt from his hand-crossbow, Quintessa learns from her earlier mistakes and "shields" herself, while "Z" attempts to restore Lebrecht's drained life force, and Seymour and Stinkeye launch a double-attack as the latter leaps into the pit with his axe. Curwen calls upon his arcane forces to crackle it with a "lightning bolt," with Zyn following with his own silver-tipped arrows. The dread wraith remains undaunted as it lashes out against Lebrecht and Stinkeye before disappearing back into the walls. The paladin detects the entity's presence, regardless, and strikes it down as "Z" "stone shapes" the wall into a gaping maw, revealing it and its demise.

With a moment of rest their two brutes are pulled up via the gnome's magic rope, the two restored to full strength with his and Quintessa's wands, including a discovered "wand of lesser restoration." Making their way around the pit the party then finds a large, octagonal room filled with the disliked murky water with "Z" attempts to purify, followed by magically blowing it away once Curwen vaporizes it with his "burning hands" …revealing a number of kuo-toan spawn baring half-dragon features as recognized by the sorceress, causing her to shudder with horror upon realizing how the previous kuo-toans had met their demise. "Z" finds his silver tongue of little use against the near-mindless spawn, keeping an eye out around the room and spotting a room past a nearby portcullis that he leads them into, discovering to his own horror more disemboweled, once pregnant kuo-toans; such diplomacy is further hindered by Lebrecht's attempt to "purify" them, drawing their ire. In the back, away from the carnage, Quintessa feels apprehensive towards the nature of these creatures, fearing their "father" lurks right around the corner. With the deed done they climb up a set of stairs at the end of the room towards a fresco-laden, zig-zagged room laden with traps; "Z" narrowly avoids a "lightning bolt," giving the sorceress an opportunity to dispel it — this does nothing to deter the poisoned-spears that erupt from the wall, but the gnome's deft hands disable it return.

Armed with new weapons, the party opens the once-trapped doors to see a sleeping basilisk beyond, sharing both the draconic heritage of the spawn as well as more dæmonic features, shaking them with fear at its very appearance. While Zyn attempts to silently remove its eyes with his arrows under the silence of "Z's" "pass without trace," their foe flashes its eyes open hearing the clatter of Santana and Carlos — his drow companion resisting the basilisk's petrifying gaze; their arrows and bolts fly through the air, piercing its hide. Enhanced with the strength of a

bull's Lebrecht charges towards it, cleaving into it with his holy blade, but the creature ignores it as it targets the drow by breathing a cloud of acid upon them, immediately identified as the very same liquid that they had experienced prior. Reaching into the room with her illusory power, she "conjures" forth what appears to be a great puddle of grease beneath it, forcing its legs out from under it; Stinkeye then charges through them, leaping through the air and embedding his axe into the creature's prone form — this also puts him in range of its fearsome jaws, ignoring the "magic missile" of Curwen. Zyn's arrows augment the thrashing unleashed by Santana and Carlos, slowly tearing into its unholy hide, with "Z" playing his healing lute to cure Lebrecht's grievous wounds, giving him the second wind he needs to impale his sword upon it. The basilisk, in a fury, returns the favor as it unleashes its own smite against the paladin and equal wrath upon the barbarian, unfettered by the sorceress' rays. However Stinkeye is just as wrathful as he hacks away with his vicious axe. Curwen follows his fellow arcanist as his ray penetrates its hide, greatly weakening him. Zyn's arrows pierce it through its open mouth, felling it.

Among the treasures guarded by the basilisk is a cleric's scroll of "revive outsider," believed by the sorceress to have been intended to restore the creature to life if slain, but now proving to be the means with which she could bring her own, cherished companion to life.

WATERSDAY, COLDEVEN 26TH, 595 CY

Reaching the top balcony reveals a set of double-doors baring a message written in ichor taunting the party with their current successes; beyond is a T-shaped hall way with further writing and double-doors at either end, with a painted arrow leading right, its doors unmoved by Quintessa's "unseen servant." Stinkeye's great strength proves more successful, revealing a spiral staircase oozing with the same scum that had surrounded the basilisk, wiped out by "Z's" decanter of endless water, with a T-shaped room engulfed in multi-colored, luminescent fungus… and a number of foul creatures. Seymour and Fi'jit traverse the walls and air to seek further beyond into the dark depths, clearly seeing the slimy, frog-faced basilisk spawn, each a crime against the natural order; "Z" attempts to communicate with their animalistic minds, but Zyn takes no quarter as he drinks a "potion of levitate," readying his "necklace of fireballs," warning his companions out… only to have them struck by an unseen foe, first targeting Stinkeye — a pair of unseen kuo-toan assassins. Zyn throws out a bead against the creatures in the distance, incinerating three in the erupting inferno, his panther leaping forth to strike one of the more seriously wounded ones. Seymour drops down as his master sings, flanking the kuo-toans as they strike the barbarian and paladin before disappearing into the shadows.

The sorceress hastes her companion while her familiar's bolt strikes true, while the basilisk spawn panics through the fire, continuing to blaze that is fueled by the mushrooms, further terrified by Stinkeye as the half-orc leaps tremendously through the air, embedding his axe into the skull of a beast, decapitating it, landing upon its falling corpse — Lebrecht is less than successful with his own leaping strike, his magical fullplate weighing him down before dissolving in the pool beneath him. Zyn fires an arrow through the assassins, piercing them fatally, his panther mauling a beast but becoming stuck in its sticky hide. "Z" calls down the thunder, electrifying their foes, but to no visible effect. Quintessa takes to the air, hoping to avoid them altogether with Fi'jit taking on bat form, hiding within the folds of her clothes. Lebrecht and Stinkeye return "Z's" power upon them, striking forth with a bolt of lighting of their own, gathering closer as they narrowly miss the half-orc, who retaliates with fervor; even grievously wounded the paladin is struck, their oozing flesh melting his old longsword, but the ranger attempts to "slay" with his dark arrows, one being felled by their necromantic power; yet the drow are warned to cover their eyes as the gnome casts a "daylight" spell to blind the kuo-toans, with the sorceress summoning forth celestial monkeys from the shadows, confusing the beasts further as one basilisk spawn fails to summon darkness around them.

Stinkeye swings away, cleaving through even their unnaturally tough hide, narrowly avoiding his great axe becoming stuck in their oozing hide. Lebrecht attempts to swing upon "Z's" animated rope hanging from the scaffolding above, but the swipe of his holy avenger severs it temporarily, sending him falling upon his foes; the sorceress fears the gods are displeased with his actions from the day before, especially with the ranger's own luck proving more fortuitous, his arrows offering a distraction as "Z" throws his voice, tricking the spawn to target their own kin — a magic missile from Quintessa's wand and the holy smite of Lebrecht deepens the pain. In the vast confusion the basilisk spawn begin to maul each other, but Stinkeye's inclusion in the melee proves dreadful as his magical greataxe is embedded in their flesh and dissolved by their ooze. Lebrecht's own favor does not turn, the force of good slicing through its hide but meeting destruction all the same; this comes as great humor to Zyn, his bow safe from harm. Calling upon his druidic might, "Z" reshapes the stone ceiling and brings it crashing down upon the spawn,

crushing them, summoning a thoqqua in an attempt to burn them further. The sorceress' attempt to retreat to a place of safety proves disconcerting to her as another magic missile fails to pierce the hide of one. Lebrecht grabs the "sword of life stealing," draining the life force from one as Stinkeye flanks it with a raptor claw from the Lucky Monkey, but the once fearsome appendage is stuck, before he follows suit with his own fist.

One of the basilisk spawn is torn asunder by its kin as "Z" tricks his song upon another, before softening the ground beneath them, their great weight sinking them into the earth, Seymour wrapping the animated rope around Stinkeye as an escaping Lebrecht fails to pull him back — a "magic missile" from Quintessa targets the one her companion is stuck to; enraged, the half-orc tears a hand free, striking a blow between the eyes of his foe, the paladin following suit, draining the life fully from one before turning his divine fury against the remaining spawn, targeted by Zyn's bow, Quintessa's "magic missile" and the companions strikes. Stinkeye proves the most devastating, unleashing the shadow of a grim reaper as a great scythe falls upon the creature, its life drained by the paladin; with great fury the basilisk erupts forth from the earth, sending a burst of acid throughout the cave, but it is not enough to deter Stinkeye as he cleaves through it.

EARTHDAY, COLDEVEN 27TH, 595 CY

A new day dawns far above; yet the formerly locked doors beyond open and invite them in, with the sorceress hiding herself with her invisibility as they explore the hall beyond… revealing a chest surrounded by corpses that all fear to open; closer inspection reveals the brainless husks of three mind flayers. The unseen servant of the sorceress not only fails to open the chest, but is destroyed by the magical trap unleashed by it — only the intervention of Lebrecht's divine majesty disables it. Within lays a number of gears of great and terrible enchantments, cursed by some foul spellcraft; the baubles are ignored as a room beyond reveals a large cage baring a cloths-less dwarf — believed to be Zenith Splintershield — and a dark altar. Fi'jit, guarded by a "shield" spell and his own invisibility, examines the cage and its contents, Zenith appearing catatonic among the unnatural silence of the altar room. Quintessa's attempt to dispel the silent force from outside fails as a sickeningly sweet voice echoes within their minds; with gestures she calls her familiar back whilst "Z" flies in to take his place, followed by his companions — the doors creak close behind them.

Emerging from the Ethereal Plane appears a hovering mind flayer radiating tremendous power, Azathoth, speaking into their minds as a bank of "mind fog" circles around him. With a tone of supreme authority no less than that of Ghaerleth Axom, Quintessa's previous illithid foe, he offers a trade for their gear for the return of Splintershield, further bolstering himself with the illusions of his "mirror images," the party readying themselves as Curwen succeeds in blowing back the fog with his own magic. The drow double-team with their arrows and bolts, piercing through one image after another, as a newly acquired bear companion, Ringo, charges beneath and is immediately charmed into submission; the party is stunned to full affect, before Azathoth calls forth a flesh golem of incredible size. Santana, the only one capable of resisting, fails to strike as his charmed companion takes the hit for him while the mind flayer dominates the stunned half-orc. The druid continues to mount an offense, with the mind flayer dispelling the magics affecting the party. With great force of will the stunning wears off as Santana's allies join him, but their foe's defenses prove to great to overcome, save for the arrows from Zyn's oathbow, inflicting a great wound upon its foul flesh — it retaliates by commanding Stinkeye to strike Lebrecht, as Curwen's "waves of fatigue" prove ineffective, as does Quintessa and Fi'jits strikes.

"Z" softens the earth and stone beneath the lumbering flesh golem and his master, leaving the former stuck, with the mind flayer targeting Santana with dark magics, but his natural acuity saving him; this gives Lebrecht the opportunity to to strike at the "heart" of the golem, with Zyn following up with flaming arrows, slowing it further, before joining "Z" in a quick retreat out of the door as a group of kuo-toa, lead by Ab-haca, join with the "scions of Blibdoolpoolp." Curwen steps back out in turn, a fearsome blast of antimagic dispelling the mind flayer's "globe of invulnerability," giving his arcane companion the chance to "haste" the party and their new-found allies, Fi'jit taking bat form and hiding within her cloak; unfortunately Santana's quickened movements are not enough to strike their deft foe. Likewise Lebrecht is struck by an unknown force, as his own blessed blade strikes himself; Zyn's bow sings true, however, as his quickened arrows pierce through the aberrant flesh… revealing it to be a mere illusion. It's command over Stinkeye is still overpowering, as the half-orc strikes back at his former comrade; yet the kuo-toans, their once enemies, leap into the fray with new-found fervor as they spread out to strike the mind flayer and his guards — before they can react further, however, "Z" bathes the area in an "obscuring mist" in an attempt to determine their foe's true location, giving Seymour a chance to

undo the cage holding Zenith Splintershield, while Curwen and Quintessa follow up with a failed "dispel magic" over the area.

As the flesh golem frees itself from the mud and mauls a few kuo-toan allies, Santana readies his flame blade to strike it, inflicting little damage but the bathing flames slowing… followed by a fireball emanating from the illithid illusion, engulfing all but Zyn as the agile ranger rolls with it, while Lebrecht is consumed in crimson death. Retreating from the room, he looks back with his ability to "see invisibility," finding no evidence of their foe's true location within the room of silence, targeting Stinkeye with an arrow that knocks him momentarily unconscious. "Z" and Seymour utilize the "animated rope" to try and obtain Zenith, as the kuo-toan distracts the flesh golem, with Curwen pouring a cure potion down his throat in an attempt to bring him out of his stupor. The sorceress is just as successful in her failed dispelling as the flesh golem fells the kuo-toans surrounding it, with their cleric leader charging in to take vengeance upon it. Channeling necromantic forces, Curwen succeeds in identifying their foe's true location, hiding behind a nearby door opposite the room of silence, while Santana strikes the golem with his flame blade as Carlos grabs the body of Lebrecht and readies his own retreat, while his brother-in-arms, Ringo, slips closer to death; but even Carlos succumbs to the mind flayer's power, becoming paralyzed by its might — yet the kuo-toan cleric is able to channel divine forces to rejuvenate Lebrecht's tattered form.

With its location discovered, Zyn forces open the door and chucks in a bead from his "necklace of fireball," but the flames are halted by the "wall of force" before him, somehow maintaining line-of-sight with the "projected image" in the room of silence. Curwen and Quintessa again join forces, and again fail to overcome the power, as a retreating Santana is struck from behind by the flesh golem, before being carried out by Santana who has received a second-wind, but are struck with the mind flayer's "lightning bolt," as is Curwen, the surge collapsing the opposing casters. Lebrecht comes upon the druid, tending his wounds and stabilizing him, with Santana's fellow drow restoring his scarred flesh. Unfortunately Stinkeye is still under the creature's full control, swinging with his blade at his friends, before the domination is dispelled by the cleric, as is the charm on Ringo. Feeling rejuvenated themselves the arcanists fire off a "lightning bolt" and a "dispel magic," but neither can overcome the illusion. As Carlos tries to drag Ringo, the illithid fires off a second "lightning bolt," blasting through the bears and the sorceress to tremendous effect, with only Quintessa withstanding it. Stinkeye, finally regaining his senses, turns his rage against the golem, cleaving through the construct's flesh, with his strength further bolstered by the cleric.

As "Z" plays his curing lute to heal some of the wounds that his fellow druid has suffered, as the golem retaliates against his half-orc foe, with Santana returning the aid to Quintessa — immediately afterwards the illusion of the mind flayer disappears and the "wall of force" drops, as Zyn's arrow flies and Curwen's targets him with his dispelling, but Quintessa is not as lucky. Lebrecht and Zyn let loose with a double team of melee and ranged strikes, both critically wounding the dread foe. Muttering "he's here," the mind flayer teleports back into the room of silence, with Lebrecht making chase, with Zyn following suit, piercing it — meanwhile Stinkeye continues his rage against the flesh golem, while "Z" tries to "call lightning" and Curwen dispels further guards upon their foe, as Quintessa summons forth two celestial eagles from the shadows; with great dread, however, the cleric is crushed by the golem, the final kuo-toan falling just as "King Jared IV" emerges from the halls, removing the silence and bestowing great boons upon the party, as they gather their forces and launch their attacks with renewed vigor. The foe, while severely wounded, retains enough might to drain the agility from Zyn, but giving Lebrecht the perfect chance to strike as he flies up into the air with his "winged shield," piercing the aberration… as it twists and coils, transforming into a green dragon. Zyn is undeterred, having already faced dragons, and lets his arrows fly against one of his favored enemies, embedding into its flesh to deadly effect.

The half-orc proves more than the equal to the flesh golem, striking with great damage and receiving the same in return, with Jared riding up beside him and helps in bringing the construct down. Quintessa receives some of Curwen's luck in dropping their foe's guards further, with Santana leaping up to join the offense against the mind flaying dragon, his blade tearing into it, which directs its anger against Lebrecht, lashing out with its vicious claws and bite, the sorceress "feather falling" him just before he can crash, as arrows from the ranger's oathbow narrowly misses him to strike, Curwen's "fireball" burning the fresh wounds… and incinerating his allies. Stinkeye follows the ranger's actions, but his own skill with the bow is lacking; but smiling wickedly Quintessa runs up to him and grants him the power of flight, with the necromancer draining the dragon's strength and Jared taking dinosaur shape, that of the fearsome triceratops, with Santana and his bears striking their foe from all sides, knocking him out of its "polymorph."

With no other option, the illithid cries "curse you, Jared!," breaking its staff over its knee, obliterating all near him, disappearing from view completely.

When the smoke clears and calm descends over the area, the party's eyes are drawn towards the nearly catatonic Zenith, who had neither spoken a word nor even moved a muscle throughout the entire ordeal; as the party readies themselves for a well-deserved rest, not even the enticing words of the bard can bring the old dwarf out of his stupor.

FREEDAY, COLDEVEN 28TH, 595 CY

At the sorceress' request the entirety of Bhal-Hamatugn is swept over by her and her compatriots, gutting the now exterminated kuo-toan forces of their oil glands so that meager toxins can be refined from the foul substance… as well as to ensure that no other surprises could emerge to seek vengeance save at some far later date; throughout the endeavor the formally silent Zenith begins to speak with cryptic phrases, his eyes darting from one person to another:

"A man in blue will slay you before the year is done."

"You'll be buried alive, but you won't be alone."

"Your heart harbors two ships: betrayal and joy."

"You will set your city aflame."

Silence befalls them again as Quintessa utilizes her new found power to "teleport" the weary party back to Jared's humble abode, paying their respects and saying their goodbyes to their once-and-never "king," before teleporting into the Grand Library of "The Cusp of Sunrise," giving themselves and the gaze-less Zenith a chance to partake of the club's hospitality before being led to the meeting rooms in the East Wing, where Celeste awaits them to personally escort the lost son of Ironlord Davked to his father, snapping her fingers as a number of blue-robed servants heed her beck-and-call and provide the heroes with their promised rewards — the color of their attire not being lost to the sorceress as she smirks, thinking back to the words of their charge, and of the equally cryptic "smoking eye" mentioned by the now lost Ab-haka.

All's well that ends well as the enthusiastic nobles of "The Cusp" swell around the party, blocking off any attempt to reconnect with Splintershield's mysterious entourage, asking the heroes to regale them with the awesome tales of their tribulations, tragedies, and triumphs…

GODSDAY, GROWFEST 4TH, 595 CY

St. Cuthbert's Day.

FREEDAY, GROWFEST 7TH, 595 CY

Desportium of Magick.

THE DÆMONSKAR LEGACYFREEDAY, WEALSUN 7TH, 595 CY

It had been more than two-and-a-half months since the party first stepped into the ancient halls of Bahl-Hamatugn — as well as a year marking their descent into the ruins of Jzadirune seeking the lost children of the Lantern Street Orphanage — yet the peace that had settled across the land after the flooding of the previous year was broken once more; the taxes inflicted upon the populace have been steadily on the rise, an attempt to repair the damages that had occurred and to prepare them for the dangers to come… but little in the ways of benefit have seen the light of day, especially without the guidance of Lord-Mayor "Z," having spent time at Bluecrater Academy. Seeing herself as a rising star among Cauldron's nobility, Quintessa did not need her newly acquired arcane sight to feel the fiery stares or hear the caustic words of those beneath her as they vented their frustration towards her fellows… leaving the sorceress to wish she had joined her former comrade, Dregs, in his region-wide tour of the Flanaess' wrestling circuit, perhaps serving as a magnificent manager of sorts.

Passing by a statue of Stinkeye holding aloft his mighty axe, erected to commerate his killing blow upon the dragon, Gottrod, the sorceress notices a troupe of his kin stomping down the street towards a raucous in the distance as she muses over the reenstablishment of the previous Lord-Mayor due to his successor's months-long absence, and the Captain of the Guard, Terseon Skellerang, taking charge after Helmuth Ulrich Heinrich's disappearance in the Underdark. She turns towards the Church of St. Cuthbert — rejoining her comrades in heeding the call from Jenya who seeks the retrieval of the church's paladin, and her dear friend, Alek Tercival, who had been last seen around the area of Redgorge the previous year… but rumor has it that he may appear among the crowd surrounding Cauldron's town hall. Making their way the overhear the murmurs of the crowd, about Lord Vhalantru's possible involvement in the feared embezzlement of the town's taxes, with Maavu Arlintal, the proprietor who's warehouse was crushed by the umber hulk, leading the crowd. With the arcanists readying themselves for the mob's worst, the recently returned "Z" slips through the people to learn more, returning with the knowledge that Lord-Mayor Severin is more of a puppet than ever before. The noise of the crowd's fervor heightens as the nobles assigned to collect the taxes emerges at the front of the hall, the half-orc brigands stepping up in defense, the mob erupting in full fury as a youth drew a hidden dagger to strike at the guards' leader, Sergeant Krewis.

Enveloping herself in a greater invisibility, Quintessa flies up with Fi'jit clutching her body behind her, spreading his wings, before revealing herself within the wisps of a fire shield — an attempt to take on the visage of a fiery angel, invoking the "wrath of the gods" for the mobs foolishness, augmented by "Z's" "soundburst" up ahead to draw their attention; Zyn takes a more pragmatic approach, aiming his bow towards Maavu up upon a make-shift podium, which only incites the mob's rage further, their movement only halted by Santana's "entangle" which engulfs the area, with Curwen following up with a shout in attempt to startle them into submission, Lebrecht using this chance to rescue the sergeant who suffered the bulk of the peoples' wrath — likewise, archers from the town hall follow the ranger's lead as they, too, fire upon Maavu… but lack the keen senses of his drow eyes; as such it proves to be their last action as all within the area become engulfed by the fascinating words of the lyric thaumaturge, calming the hearts of noble and commoner alike as his sorceress companion calls forth five illusions of her fiery self to hold their gaze.

Working together, Zyn uses his magical baubles to make his way towards Maavu while Lebrecht reaches Krewis to try and free both of them from the chaos that they have ignited… but the drow and his charge are immediately attacked by a "breathdrinker," a fierce elemental emerging from the skies unseen who's terrible form nearly strikes fear in the mob leader, his strength of will keeping his heart steady. Fi'jit, recognizing the elemental, whispers its strengths and weaknesses to his master, allowing her to evoke the shadows into a lightning bolt that it narrowly avoids, but has its own breath stolen as Curwen drains its life with an enervation — leaving it to once more turn invisible after striking at Maavu. With "Z" leading the mob away Lebrecht turns his attention, detecting its evil presence and holding it fast with the power of his blade, Dawn Breaker, dropping it from the sky, as does Maavu from Zyn's grip, his fall softened by Quintessa's feather fall as the ranger strikes out at the elemental, the paladin finishing it.

As evening descends all that remains with the party are the respective leaders of the mob and the guards, all else having dispersed away from the conflict. With everyone gathering back together, some semblance of peace talks occur between Maavu Arlintal and Sergeant Krewis, the

former feeling guilty for the unintentional riot and the latter thankful for the lack of unnecessary bloodshed. The shoppekeeper, knowing that he'll be wanted regardless, says he'll be retreating to the nearby town of Redgorge that the party is free to visit… and where he believes Alek Tercival may be found — at the same time Lord-Mayor Severen Navalant and Lord Orbius Vhalantru appear above them, declaring that the taxes will not be levied for a full three months which the town criers immediately spread throughout Cauldron. Taking this bit of news into consideration, the party returns to the Church of St. Cuthbert, seeking further aid from Jenya about Alek Tercival, hearing the city bell in the distance with a fiery glow amid Minuta's Board, the inn housing the half-orc mercenaries… and a mob of people speaking foul of the brigands despite their attempt to control the flames; Sergeant Rokewko leads them, ignoring the innkeeper, Pilok Minuta, as he orders his forces, warning about a fiery wrath within.

Quintessa and Zyn take to the air while "Z" rides with Lebrecht upon his mount, with Curwen running behind them as best he can. The sorceress protects herself from the flames and takes hold of the decanter of endless water, but the smoke overcomes her regardless, while the charging paladin resists it; the lyric thaumaturge quenches the flames with his own magic, drawing out two fire elementals. "Z" follows up with a gust of wind to clear away the smoke and unintentionally blow away his two air-born companions, with Zyn readying his bow to fire a volley at the elementals, the arrow heads flying with enough force to pierce their blazing hides — his target resists, however, turning its fury back upon the drow. As Lebrecht attempts to pull a child from the burning reckage, Quintessa calls upon the shadows to evoke a "lightning bolt," gravely wounding the two elementals and unintentionally obliterating Pilok, herself being slammed by a fiery foe as karmic restitution. Curwen reaches the carnage, channeling arcane forces to unleash an ice storm against the sorceress' opponent; likewise Zyn is faced against his own target, avoiding its wild strikes even after his arrows rip through it. The necromancer joins his arcane companion in blasting their enemies with thunder, but the former suffers for her art — "Z" attempts to distract her assalter by summoning vipers to surround it, before calling down his own lightning.

Zyn assassinates one of the elementals while Quintessa manages to fly up out of the other's range, but her final lightning bolt, fired straight down, does little to phase it… but Curwen's cone of cold is of far greater success, extinguishing its flames. Lebrecht finally succeeds in rescuing his charge, one of Pilok's scullery-boys, but it comes as cold comfort with the death of Minuta as a result of the carnage, the sorceress weaving a tragic tale of his death at the hands of the fire elementals. Asfelkir Hranleurth of Kord and Kristoff Jurgensen of Pelor reach the incinerated remains and tend to the wounded; "The flames of discord will raise Hell in our town," Kristoff shouts at Cauldron around him, while the party gathers together to search the ruined structures or recover their own strength. Gathering information among the gathering crowd, they learn that Minuta's Board was housing the half-orc "Alley Bashers," the name recalling memories of their previous fiery-headed foe, Triel Eldurast. The party retreats to the Cusp of Sunrise, partaking of the inn's finest offerings thanks to the sorceress' "luck" at a high-stakes game of gemsnatcher, gifting her companions with two full courses of rare venison with the most exquisite fixings and enough vintange faun-mead to slake even a giant's thirst; the sight of one noble unable to traverse past the second gem bringing the young woman quiet pleasure.

STARDAY, WEALSUN 8TH, 595 CY

Commotions throughout Cauldron awaken the party, the criers of Lord Vhalantru seeking the noble, Maavu Arlintal, while his guard captain, Terseon Skellerang, is said to have received a challenge to duel by Alek Tercival himself as per the "Old Law of Peers" — but such a challenge is considered null-and-void at the belief that the paladin of St. Cuthbert is possessed by a dæmon, instead offering a handsome reward to whomever finds and saves his soul; the fate of the mercenaries is less welcoming, however, the half-orcs being transferred to an encampment outside of town as a result of the destruction of Minuta's Board. Thus, after a sumptuous Cusp breakfast or two, the party resumed their interrupted travel to the Church of St. Cuthbert, speaking with Jenya Urikas in the early morn about Alek, learning that he is the orphan of nobles who was practically raised by her… and that he would often sell the artwork he found on his adventures to a collector, Tygot Mispas, seeking to pay off the debts of his kin. Using her +1 holy heavy mace, the "Star of Justice," she has also obtained cryptic clues to his possible location:

"Late on the path of justice,trapped between glass and stone,

he weeps where many can see him,but he can see only himself."

Turning their attention towards Tygot's Old Things on Lava Avenue they find the old halfling collector and his old blink dog, Lepook, most hospitable, recognizing them as the heroes whom had saved Cauldron from the flood and speaking with "Z" and Quintessa about Alek Tercival and what he had sold him, the halfling had a meticulously kept register detailing each and every one of the paladin's acquisitions:

+THE VOLCANIC GOSLING+ A life-size statuette of a small goose carved in deep gray, polished basalt weighing 8 lb. One of twelve created by the heroine Tlimida about eight centuries before, on the Feast Day of Loëndë. According to legend, Tlimida also set the foundation stone of Cauldron's City Hall. Tlimida, a descendant of the legendary Surabar Spellmason, was deeply moved by the sudden flight of a flock of ducks over the lake, and chose to immortalize its protagonists with these carvings.

+THE KNIGHT IN BROWN+ A 250-year-old painting of a standing knight in brown robes, carrying a bastard sword at his side and leaning on a decorative sil. On the sill sits a horned helmet. Thought to be the portrait of Axel Herewall, bailiff of the distant town of Basan. The portrait is signed A. A. on the lower right corner.

+THE BABOON MASK+ A gold-plated, darkwood mask of an unknown baboonlike divinity once worshipped in the jungles west of Cauldron. The last reported sighting of a werebaboon dates back more than a century.

+THE GOD OF THE LAKE+ A bust of a fish-like monster's head finely carved in pink marble weighing 20 lb. The neck bears signs of damage, and was probably severed from a life-size statue of a kopru divinity. Its eye sockets are hollow, for the statue.'s gemstone eyes were stolen long ago. The head dates back to a time well before the first settlers reached Cauldron, the histories of which never mention the presence of kopru in the area.

+THE HEGEMONIC PLATE+ A rectangular plate of silver etched with odd figures and ciphers — a crude map and a few notes in Giant are scratched into the opposite side of the plate, which would be smooth otherwise. These scratched notes seem to be quite recent, but the plate itself has a definite aura of ancient weight about it. The hegemonic plate summarizes the terrible experiment of the spell weavers, an ancient society of powerful spell-casting creatures, before the disaster that produced the Dæmonskar. The six-armed creatures are identifed as spell-weavers, and the humanoid figures as ogres.

The spell weavers' leader is depicted on the right side of the plate; he holds something referred to as the "Starry Mirror" above his head. A string of ciphers under the depiction of the Starry Mirror represent numbers: •••, ••••, ——, •, ••, and •••. On the left side of the plate three scenes are depicted, read from bottom-to-top. The bottom scene depicts the ogre slaves of the spell weavers toiling to build the planar travel installation. The next scene up depicts the same ogres, empowered by the Amaranth Elixir and granted great strength to aid in their work. The topmost scene shows the planar travel installation in its completed glory.

"Z" notes that a statue of a headless dæmon is said to stand on the banks of the Red River to the southwest of Cauldron…

SUNDAY, WEALSUN 9TH, 595 CY

The trip to Redgorge was uneventful as the party made their way through the Cauldron Gate towards the Redhead Miner's Inn, it's keeper, Mikimax, bearing the long, crimson locks his establisment is named for. The party sits down for a good meal and equal hospitality, learning about the town's less than steller situation and the possible location of Alek Tercival and Maavu Arlintal. Out of the corner of the inn's common room sits a blue-robed man strumming a lute, asking, "what can bind with water, sand, and lime?" Curwen answers "mortar," and the musician introduces himself as Ekaym Smallcask, the "Honest Minstrel," gifting them with more information regarding their targets, as well as information about "The Chisel," an organization attempting to

restore Cauldron to what they believe is its true state — the name rings familiar to the sorceress, having heard the name the previous year with regards to past rumors about Alek and Redgorge.

Ekaym has invited the party into the inn's basement to attend an otherwise secretive meeting, the walls of the enclave decoratede with frescoes depicting Surabar Spellmason's arrial near the foot of a dormant volcano; his encounter with the movanic deva, Nidrama, wielding a staff called Alakast, a weapon said to be potent against evil outsiders; Surabar's foundation of Redgorge and his magical construction of the Basalt Bastions; the Battle of Redgorge agaisnt the fiends of Dæmonskar lead by a hyena-headed glabrezu; and, finally, Spellmason's transformation into a mountain, representing his death.

Amid those present at the meeting is a stern, strong human, Oliron Masht, Foreman of the Chisel, offering each a drink from his flask of fine wine and speaking that both Maavu and the enigmatic Alek should appear in time, the former coming before them first, welcoming the party. As Curwen asks when the paladin had last been seen, not for some weeks within the Amedio Jungle down the Red River, Quintessa poses a query from the Star of Justice's divination, raising eyebrows but discovering no further clue.

Words are spoken, however, of Terseon Skellerang and his half-orc mercenaries preparing an invasion against Redgorge, while Maavu insists that those foul fellows who stirred up the riot the previous night have ties to the Last Laugh's Guild; an arguement insues between he and the Honest Minstrel before the Foreman breaks it up. Discussing the recent breathdrinker attack as well as the umber hulk before that, the fact that some outside force wishes ill of Arlintal is agreed by most. With little else to go on the party readies themselves to explore a hunting trail south of Redgorge along the river.

MOONDAY, WEALSUN 10TH, 595 CY

As the party made their way down the river, arrows fly over head to take them by surprise — emerging from the massive undergrowth lining the waters: gnolls! Zyn, ever alert, returns fire as he and his drow brethren sick their animal companions against them… much to the sorceress' disapproval. Lebrecht follows suit, leaping onto the shore to engage with Dawn Breaker, while the arcanists set the area ablaze with duo fireballs, incinerating the bulk of their forces as Zyn's panther slays the final. Pulling the rafts up onto the shore, Zyn searches around the Amedio Jungle for any tracks the gnolls had left behind, judging from their remains that they were involved in a conflict between two opposing bands.

Sailing further down the enbankments, at the head of a warn path, lay the severed head of a hyena-faced statue, not discimilar from their gnoll foes, but as Fi'jit warns bears the appearance of the glabezu, Nabthatoron, the leader of the Dæmonskar forces that attacked Redgorge ages past — the head had been knocked out in the more recent gnoll wars. Zyn sneaks ahead of the party as Santana takes to the air, gaining a vantange point from the statue's head and spotting an old ogre's cave up ahead, still baring the corpse of its owner, surrounded by recently devoured baboon carcasses. Reminding everyone of the everburning torches she so graciously gifted, Quintessa stands aback at the revelation of a sloth before them.

Zyn and Santana waste no time in plugging it with their arrows and bolts, slowing it yet further as Carlos and Fleetwood, the beastmaster's bears, flank it — yet the beast shows a surprising amount of ferocity, its immense claws sinking deep into the companions' flesh. The sorceress steps through the crowd, engulfing the sloth in a bath of fierce acid, narrowly avoiding the worst of it… and leaves it open to Dawn Breaker's fierce swings, the paladin striking true, finally succumbing to the ranger's bow. Beneath its carcass is fully discharged wand of cure moderate wounds engraved with the symbol of St. Cuthbert… leading the party to believe it had belonged to Alek Tercival.

The light grows dim as the party continues fifteen miles down the path, finding a relatively safe cave, the drow and dæmon hearing the sounds of wildlife grow silent with the rush of great wings in the distance — the image of a beautiful, alabaster-skinned woman of feathery wings appears before them, Nidrama, the movanic deva depicted upon the Redgorge mural. Noting the villainly blatant among the group, her silvery eyes look upon the party with horrible sadness, yet she stays her fears and clears her throat to speak profoundly to them:

"Powerful forces of chaos and evil are afoot. I dare not remain here long lest my presence attract the attention of those forces. Yet I could not sit by and watch you march into danger without warning you. The Lord of the Dæmonskar

knows of your approach, and even now his minions prepare for your arrival. They shall use deceit and treachery against you, just as they have done with Alek Tercival before you. You must remain resolute; Alek Tercival must be saved.

I have no aid to offer you but knowledge. In ages past, I provided to Surabar Spellmason a powerful weapon to assist him in his conflict with the Lord of the Dæmonskar. This was Alakast, a quarterstaff infused with an undying hatred of the fiends of the outer rifts. Unfortunately, Alakast was stolen centuries ago, ripped from Spellmason's tomb by a grave robber. Yet do not despair, for it is fated that Alakast should be wielded again against the Lord of the Dæmonskar. It has found its way to you, and all that needs be done is for you to claim it. Seek Alakast in the lair of my false sisters, beyond the watchful eyes of the north.

That is all I am at liberty to say… I wish you well in your travails, heroes, and never lose sight of your goals."

GODSDAY, WEALSUN 11TH, 595 CY

After travelling throughout the dense jungle in the morn the party came across the ruins of Dæmonskar in the distance, razor-sharp spires jutted from the ground like the great claw of an elder earth elemental. "Z" snuck over to one of several, massive smoking pipes surrounding the area, but heard nothing of note, save his keen gnome sense of smell which was assaulted by the odor of sulfur — likewise Quintessa's arcane sight detected no magical auras. Beyond the ground sloped down at a steep angle, with Lebrecht taking the charge of the rescue of his comrade-in-arms, the party following through one such pipe and emerged into a dimly-lit cavern of glowing stalagtites and stalagmites, puffs of eye-watering smoke emerged from the green pool at the bottom of the chasm, sickening the weakest of the group. A pair of organic metal tubes erupted from the rocky ground in the distance.

Something emerged from the pool, immediately struck by the keen-reflexes of Zyn, his sleep arrow piercing its hide but failing to knock it out as it escaped down one of the tubes, bellowing a great voice immediately afterwards. Undaunted, the party attempted to slide down a steep embankment in front of them… much to the sorceress' enjoyment as she shielded herself before feather falling down to safety, before flying toward the pipes after Santana, doing the same. "Z," recovered from his terrific fall and utilized a potion of invisibility and passed without trace toward a small portcullis far to their left, examining its mechanisms as the party met up. The sorceress followed, shielding her familiar as he and Zyn took on bat form to slip through the portculis and discovered a balcony high above "watched" over by a sleeping hill giant — Quintessa chose to ignore the potentially noisy gate and, through her empathic link with her familiar, teleported her fellows into the narrow tunnels beyond.

Affected by "Z's" pass without trace and utilizing Santana's wings, Lebrecht and Zyn quietly flew up to the balcony to strike at the heart of the helpless giant and behead him. With the foe neutralized, they turned their attention toward the lever that opened the portcullis. "Z" followed a number of his teammates as he took the form of a swarm of bats and scouted down the hall beyond, finding a fresher smelling, domed room of pearlescent floors with a metal and stone sculpture at its center — the ancient meeting place of the long, lost spell weavers — as well as discovering nearly half-a-dozen ettins that narrowly avoided the invisible gnome. Fleeing back he warned, as quietly as he could, of the beasts on alert and the party readied themselves, the sorceress hasting her companions. Zyn fired off an arrow laced with purple worm poison, not only wounding the flesh of one but weakning it as the virulent substance coursed through its veins. This drew the attention of the other ettins as combat was started, "Z" singing loud and proud to bolster his allies.

Zyn continued to impale the ettin before him, felling it, while Quintessa evoked the shadows to create a wall of fire hugging the wall, the wails of incinerated, weak-willed ettins echoing throughout the dome. "Z," likewise, conjured forth several vipers atop the statue, putting the giants between a rock and a hard place as the ranger's sharp eyes enabled him to see through the shadowy, violet flames and add to the heat, blasting the now gathered ettins (and the recently conjured vipers) with a fireball from a magic necklace, before tossing a wondrous figurine into the flames to call forth a lion that leapt out to strike at their foes. Santana proved that nature's

wrath could not be escaped, even underground, as he called lightning down upon the statue to act as a conductor and strike at the ettins backed against it, suffering from both the heat and the shock.

Lebrecht was protected from fire energy with the sorceress' aid, allowing him to charge through the wall with a righteous fury that matched the flames, resisting the illusion's effects, as well as a fireball launched by Curwen, burning two of the ettins — their foes proved most resilient, however, as they raised up their morning stars to crush the ranger's lion and strike at the paladin, while Zyn flew through the narrow opening between the wall of fire and the entrance, firing downwards while Lebrecht swung with Dawn Breaker, smiting the evil around him. Quintessa joined her airbourne companion, weakening the strongest among them with a ray of envervation, while the necromancer braved the illusion just to narrowly avoid the swing from a morningstar, following his fellow arcanist's lead by blasting with negative energy… but it was not enough to drain away its life as it and the other ettins turned their attention towards him. Even the mass suggestion of "Z" could not sway their spirits — but the arrows of Zyn were more convincing, finally proving their end.

A Heavenly radiance immediatley bathed the area, a choir echoing all around the party, as three trumpet archons appeared with gleaming glory — but Lebrecht was not fooled by their guise, detecting the foul presence that laid just beneath the surface; drawing his blade forced the beings to vanish, denying him the elixir they attempted to offer. Calling out to his companions before tracking the stench of their evil, with the ranger downing a potion of invisibility to aid him. Past the domed court was a hall held aloft with four marble pillars shaped like slender hands, a great pool resting in its midst. Quintessa identified the pool's contents as the legendary Amaranth Elixir, a substance that heightened one's strength to monstrous abilities but taking a fearsome toll on one's sanity. With a fiendish smirk the sorceress instructed her familiar, Fi'jit, to consume an abundant amount. Turning from it they returned their attention to the evil aura emanating from the false sisters that Nimrada had warned them about, Lebrecht and Zyn joining their capabilities to track these slippery foes.

At the end of a hall to their right rested a massive stone slab servicing as a door, which Lebrecht struggles to lift over his head allowing his compansion to dash through; a grand corridor emerged beyond, the walls flanked by statues of tall, slender, six-armed figures bearing great disks — the spell weavers; the far end also held the archons in their true form, three half-fey green hags. "Z" was the first to step forward, fascinating them with song as his fellows slowly surrounded them, Lebrecht, Zyn, Carlos, and Fi'jit striking out with extreme prejudice, severing their life threads before they had a chance to retaliate. With a haste cast by Quintessa the party decided to explore the two doorways behind the hags, before them another stone slab that Lebrecht again lifted, discerning a small room decorated with colorful tapestries, golden baboon masks, and foes — from the room emerged skeletons that had once belonged to the ancient spell weavers that had made the Dæmonskar home.

Zyn nocked his arrows and let them fly, the steel heads grazing past the bones of one foe, unleashing his panther on the same, while Quintessa flew over their heads and controlled one with her rarely used power to command undead, while Lebrecht turned the third through his holy symbol, forcing the otherwise mindless being to flee to a corner of the room; only the first remained a threat, withstanding the attacks of the ranger, though his panther delivered a critical bite that crushed through bone like the fiercest of dragons. The sorceress, smirking, commanded the cowering spell weaver skeleton, granting her two minions. The sounds of victory emanated from "Z's" soothing voice, as the first foe was surrounded and torn asunder by the party and their acquired servants. As her companions examined the treasure chest that the skeletons had been intended to guard, Quintessa's arcane sight detected a magical aura behind the golden baboon masks, remarking to Zyn who searched behind them to reveal a secret compartment — the legendary Alakast contained within.

As Santana claimed the former staff of Surabar Spellmason — and Zyn the golden masks — the party turned their attention to the second doorway, led down a long hallway to a large, pentagonal-shaped mirrored room with a great marble throne containing… Alek Tercival! The lost paladin warned the party of the great evil that was to befall Cauldron, claiming to have been foretold by the mirrors surrounding him. Disbelieving him, Quintessa dispelled his magical guise, revealing a bald, humanoid figure of mirror-like complexion; a nerra varoot. Lebrecht immediately took the charge, wielding Dawn Breaker to devasating affect, shattering his form. With another foe dispatched, the sorceress examined the room's most shadowy wall — the Starry Mirror that was depicted on the hegemonic plate.

Zyn summoned forth a rhino to test the Mirror before them, disappearing immediately without any connection to it, Quintessa concentrating her arcane sight to decipher some clue from its description upon the hegemonic plate. Finding little to go with, she suggests to her fellows to at

least clean out the Dæmonskar before trying their luck with the Mirror. Backtracking through the rooms an unopened doorway hides a passageway, soft light emanating from the walls leading to a blue glow at the far end. The ranger takes the lead in bat form and peeks around, finding a huge, rectangular room with a high ceiling filled with broken anvils surrounding a great furnace being worked by a fire giant. Zyn returns with a warning, allowing his allies to prepare themselves accordingly with protection from energy and haste. Those who could fly do so, targeting the fire giant with twin rays of enervartion as the sorceress' skeletal minions charge in to surround their foe.

Drawing back his oathbow, Zyn pierced the creature's hide with innumerable arrows, guided by the bolstering music of "Z," Santana followed in his kin's stead while his bears charge, using the spell weaver skeletons to flank and ravage it; as the arcanists drain its life further, Lebrecht steps up to the challenge, the fire giant turning to face his foes and to suffer the wrath of Dawn Breaker and the bolts of lyric thaumaturge's call lightning, suffering his final fate by the bow of Zyn. With their foe slain, the ranger examined a finely wrought chest while Santana examines the forge, protected from its heat; Zyn opened the chest in a hurry, triggering a trap that erupted in a fiery explosion to both he and his allies but leaving its treasures undamaged. When the smoke cleared Curwen joined Quintessa in examining a nearby cage of silver and platinum, its construction, magical in nature, bore the schools of abjuration, conjuration, and necromancy.

WATERSDAY, WEALSUN 12TH, 595 CY

While Quintessa had chosen to retire within the room of the Amaranth Elixir fountain, seeking to commit it to memory, the rest settled in an out-of-the-way alcove, safely meeting up the following "morning" in an attempt to explore every last inch before returning to the Starry Mirror with Zyn presenting the large, severed hand of the fire giant against one of the six-colored stones surrounding the room, as the arcanists attempted to examine the hegemonic plate one, last time. "Z" called upon a mage hand to touch each gem in order of the plate's cyphers to no effect while the sorceress prepared to defend herself against the worse the Mirror might throw at them while her familiar, Fi'jit, communed with dark forces at the party's behest, its master afterward commanding him and her skeletal minions to enter the mirror as she and her allies followed… each emerging solitarily amid rooms of mirrors, every individual room bathed in a separate color and surrounded by mirrors revealing similar rooms — only their voices connected them.

Quintessa found herself within a yellow room, speaking with Fi'jit and learning of his appearance in an orange room. Smirking, the sorceress commanded her familiar to follow the specific order of the rooms it should traverse through via their secret language, allowing her allies to figure their own means before each, eventually, emerged into an empty room that bore a massive iron door to find the true Alek Tercival, the lost soul muttering under his breath what sounded like prophesies:

"When the final cage is shackled the burning doom shall rise."

"The baboons watch and wait, patient and potent, for their empire to reign anew."

"When thrice by thrice the ancient judgment falls, thunder strikes anew from Jarl Khurok's halls."

"Seven blackbirds have ye, yet death is not deceived."

"The Striders wander, their history true, yet with each step they grow more cruel."

"Chant a dirge of gold coins, your pockets fill with lies."

"Magic and death soon play their hand from windows on high above the land."

"Beware the unseen mark! Beware the eyes that kill! By treachery and deceit shall the true Lord fall and the false Lord

rule!"

Yet the sight of living figures for the first time in ages proved to calm his unsettled nerves, as the party filled the paladin in on all that had transpired between Cauldron and Redgorge and he learned that his predicament had been due to the actions of the green hags, revealing their falsehood via the recovered "eye." Strengthening Fi'jit's wolf form they burst through the door to reveal a vast desert before them strewn with the remains of a past adventurer… and the Lord of Dæmonskar waiting for them, growling terse words against Tercival before felling the noble hero. "You shall not save your friend! This time of peace is at an end!" Though too late the party bravely came to the aid of the paladin, with the oathbow of Zyn Argith finding its mark, bolstered by his allies and seeking the true name of the Lord of Dæmonskar, piercing the foul fiend's unholy form with no less than legendary skill. Just as the paladin was torn asunder so, too, was the once terrible Nabthatoron, the glabrezu shrieking as the blackness of his soul shrunk away against the light of justice.

All was not yet quiet as the hand of Alek Tercival grabbed ahold of his comrade-in-arms, Lebrecht, his eyes aglow with a serene calm as he began to speak with a more Heavenly tone — the voice of Nimrada: "There is naught left for you in Cauldron, heroes! To return is to enter your own graves and to bring doom upon all you love! Trust the sign of the Smoking Eye if you wish to save them all!" Believing the fallen hero to still be of some use to them, the party trusted the hands of Quintessa in his resurrection — yet with all that had transpired, from his misguided attempts at heroism in service to the green hags and his abandonment within the Starry Mirror, the last thing Alek Tercival believed he needed was to return to life at the side of a sorceress of no less kindness than the dæmonic forces he had battled against… thus he remained at peace.

Such peace was not to last, however, as Nabthatoron had warned; their old companion, Stinkeye, had made his way to them via a one-way teleportation stone, offered to him by Jenya Urikas who had been scrying them as she had worried about her friends' safety and of Alek's fate, as well as the doom that was to befall Redgorge when captain Terseon Skellerang, who chose to answer Alek's challenge via the "Old Law of Peers," marched upon the home of the Chisel. As if that was not unsettling enough, a wave of dread washed over the heroes…

THOSE WHO HEARDWATERSDAY, WEALSUN 12TH, 595 CY

Unable to save Alek Tercival's soul under her own power, Quintessa was told to teleport herself and his body back to the Church of St. Cuthbert, believing that Jenya could accomplish for her dear friend what the foul sorceress could not — such an act would leave her comrades alone amid the Sea of Dust, the vast stretch of desert, sand like powdered glass, stretching out for hundreds of miles around them; performing such an act of "heroism," to leave her allies to their potential deaths in order to save another, meant little to her black heart, save that she might miss their usefulness in drawing away the ire of her enemies. With a smirk the sorceress took her familiar, her share of the treasures, and the body of Alek Tercival, and vanished from view, leaving the others alone before the entrance of the ancient spell weaver ruins with nothing to hold off the silence except for their thoughts… and the flapping of great wings.

If not for the keen eyes of "Z" the party might have been at the mercy of Anthraxus the Despoiler, a young adult blue dragon who had been making his home amid the glistening-white sands of the Sea of Dust. Having not yet reached adulthood he had had no desire to make war against civilized lands but had no qualms about terrorizing caravans, occasionally allowing survivors to flee and spread the word of his infamy, while magically fouling the water of others so that they may die amid the dunes and become easy prey for his appetite; he would not find easy prey that day, however, for the noble heart of Lebrecht emboldened his gnome ally from the frightful presence of the great beast, with only the half-orc, Stinkeye, shaking in fear — finding the sight of the monstrosity difficult to bear.

Before Anthraxus could bear down upon his foes, "Z" unleashed a song of fascination, holding the dragon's gaze long enough for Lebrecht and Stinkeye to use their enchanted equipment to fly up to its midst, snapping it out of its daze just as the duo raised their blades to strike its flesh. The blue dragon, having panicked against the unexpected resistance, flailed about with its bite, claws, and tail slab — wounding the paladin but thinking nothing of flying out of their reach and retaliating with its dread lightning breath; no, the infamy of Anthraxus the Despoiler ended without fanfare, as its carcass would soon fall through the air, narrowly incinerated by the lyric thaumaturge's flame strike before making a hasty retreat, finally being struck down by the teamwork of Lebrecht and Stinkeye.

As the crimson sun set behind the dunes, the desert air cooling to a crisp breeze, the party healed each others torn and battered bodies, resting their spirits and began the long trek through the Sea of Dust, finding a large, hollowed out rock formation nestled within the sands — believed to be the cave that the dragon had called home. An alarm sounded with the first step taken within Anthraxus' domain, ignored due to the loss of the owner, as the party examined the number of treasures that had been collected over time:

EARTHDAY, WEALSUN 13TH, 595 CY

Quintessa shielded herself and Fi'jit, enhances her senses with a scroll of darkvision, prepares for her underwater excursion via scrolls of freedom of movement and water breathing, and teleports to the lookout above the Kopru Ruins under a greater invisibility, as the lava tubes had been caved in by the Stormblades months prior. With Fi'jit under his own invisibility, they attempt to silently move around and hide, exploring and quietly eliminating any possible threats around the transport cage, the upper winch, and the winch operator's barracks. While she can easily teleport to any other location within the Kopru Ruins, Quintessa knows not if the area has remained vacant and wishes not to enter any possible danger haphazardly; such foresight was well won, for unseen danger lurked within the barracks: a vampire guarding the overlook in bat-shape, hearing the footsteps and wingflaps of the otherwise hidden foes. Likewise the pair were unable to detect the vampire as it took on its gaseous form and began to close the distance between them.

With the sorceress and her companion pausing to examine the Phantom Lake far below them, the vampire reverts back into its bat-shape and attempts to fly to the Kopru Ruins and alert its masters to the unseen disturbance; unfortunately for him, the pair noticed the lone, diminutive figure flying through the air amid their darkvision, Quintessa striking out with her shadow conjuration, throwing bands of steel against their winged foe while Fi'jit let a pair of arrows fly, one cold-iron, the other silver. The shadowy bands immobilized the bat, but while the quasit's arrows had hit their mark, they proved harmless to its flesh, which soon disappeared as it returned to its

gaseous form and attempted to flee. Quintessa, recognizing her foe as a vampire after her earlier dealings with Drakthar, attempted a more subtle attack, alluring it with a command undead heightened to the 6th-level, her persuasion proving strong enough to overwhelm the undead creature's acute senses.

With sensual words she asks her new "friend" to come before the cliff's edge and take up its true form, asking questions about its purpose here — that he was one of many servants and allies to a great sorcerous loremaster, a Third Circle Cabalist of "Those Who Hear," seeking vengeance against the band that had obliterated his masters in a far off land and cut off all ties to the "Speaker in Dreams." The revelation of these facts first covered the sorceress' face with a haunted look before she twisted her demure features into a fiendish smile, her light laughter nearly echoing throughout the cavern as she recalled her former adventures in the town of Brindinford and her dealings with that cult. Reaching out to caress her new servant's feral jawline, Quintessa instructed him to take up bat-shape and continue his guard of the overlook before gazing out at the Kopru Ruins in the distance… wondering what madness would drive someone to seek out a superior foe so far from home. Within her macabre mind she mused on whether she should flee the ruins after locating her bauble, or whether she should stay awhile and meet her former foe head-on, proving once-and-for-all that her brand of sorcery was the superior talent.

Leaving Fi'jit behind, Quintessa tells him to take up bat-shape beside the vampire so as to stay hidden and out-of-sight, before casting a fireball down at the Phantom Lake via shadow evocation, incinerating enough of the stinking algae and casting another greater invisibility and hastening her movements before feather falling down into the lake. Unbeknownst to her, the depths of the lake were no longer empty — after the demise of the skulvyn, Dhorlot the Dragon-Father, a young adult black dragon that had once been allied with the kuo-toa of Bahl-Hamatugn, had taken to making his home along the shores of the Nightmare Beach, paying little mind to the Third Circle Cabalist or his allies, save for devouring any victims that his neighbors had no further use for. Dhorlot chuckled at the words he had heard from above the cliff-face, that the Cabalist's vampiric servant was no longer under his command, but the sudden intrusion of the fireball on the lake surface before him alarmed him, the black dragon diving into the murky pool while the sorceress floated gently down, unable to see the beach that lay just outside of her darkvision.

The moment Quintessa touched bottom a line of acid shot past her from the watery gloom, narrowly avoiding her while her draconic foe circled around. Wasting no time she dove fully into the lake, Dhorlot missing a bite against his "bubble-shaped" foe, and she protected herself from the acidic energy, her water breathing and freedom of movement allowing her to traverse the depths as easily as she could maneuver on land; unfortunately for her her sight was skewed, the darkvision providing little aid to her among the algae-filled pool and requiring her to hazard a guess as to the distance of her enemy, prematurely detonating a fireball some thirty feet above her. Despite these misfortunes Quintessa laughed heartily on the inside upon hearing the angered roar of the dragon, knowing she had hit her mark in at least some capacity before delving further into the depths. Dhorlot, suffering little as he had seen through her shadow evocation, followed at full strength and dove past the sorceress, cutting off her route. Undaunted Quintessa weakened her foe with a ray of enervation before swimming far to the side, the dragon's jaws snapping only water, his breath weapon bathing nothing with its foul liquid; the sorceress was not out of Dhorlot's senses, however, as he mad chase — a game of cat-and-mouse ensuing.

Finding her foe once more beneath her, Quintessa went for a more violent strategy — using her shadow evocation to blast the black dragon with a lightning bolt before swimming upwards. Despite his weakened state Dhorlot's body and mind remained strong, suffering little form the attack as it swam up after her, missing with his bites both as she fled and after he caught up with her… resisting another enervation before sinking his teeth into the sweet flesh of his "bubble-shaped" prey as she swam away. The false life that Quintessa had cast upon her earlier that morning saved her from any lasting wounds, but she knew that her greater invisibility was about to run out and she had to deal with the dragon before then, leashing out with another ray of enervation to further weaken Dhorlot — not enough to hold off his vicious maw, the black dragon's teeth taking two bites out of her…her crimson blood clouding around them. Panicking, the sorceress unleashed another lightning bolt, this time striking true against Dhorlot's hide, suffering for her art as he bit her while she swam further down; following, the black dragon missed a bite as she vanished completely from view.

Leaving Fi'jit behind momentarily, Quintessa had teleported back to Cauldron, appearing soaked but safe within her private room at the Cusp of Sunrise, utilizing her wand of cure serious wounds to restore her battered body. Having enough of her draconic foe, she replenished her greater invisibility and haste before teleporting back into the lake… and straight into the jaws of Dhorlot the Dragon-Father, the great beast striking with the ferocity a black dragon could muster,

her greater invisibility and the dragon's weakened state saving her from all but the single slash of its claw and a swipe of its tail, swimming out of its bite as fast and as far as she could into the water's depths, aiming fireballs behind her and Dhorlot following after and unleashing his acidic breath in retaliation, the sorceress just slipping past and taking no effect thanks to her earlier protection from energy. Dhorlot was likewise fortunate, his draconic hide resisting most of the super-heated steam produced by her attacks but was still gravely wounded, moving like a shark of great power as it drilled through the darkest depths of the Phantom Lake.

Her magic power, as potent as it was, began to fail her, leaving Quintessa with little option as she reached out with a vampiric touch and drains all but a shred of Dhorlot's health away, deciding to stay and finish off the gravely wounded adversary; but the great dragon slipped past her and disappeared into the murky shadows. Deciding, instead, not to waste time upon the coward, the sorceress swam straight up to the lake's surface — as near as she could tell — withdrawing a scroll of locate object upon breaking the surface and focusing her mind upon her bauble before diving back down, caring little for her own visibility or mobility as she felt there was little left to fear from the young adult black dragon; all that was left for her to do was to scour the darkest depths of the Phantom Lake, the pressure of the water and the previous battle beginning to take their toll upon her body…but not before her luck and her magic paid off, finding the lost treasure she had so desperately sought since beginning this adventure — in the heart of the dragon's underwater lair. A desperate blast of acidic breath nearly missed the sorceress before she charged boldly forward, her vampiric touch draining the last ounce of his strength and putting an end to Dhorlot the Dragon-Father.

For all of her effort Quintessa found much in reward, such as gold and platinum pieces, gems such as malachite, obsidian, red spinel, black star sapphire, and even an emerald of the clearest bright-green hues. Magical relics there were, as well: scrolls, a dose of oil, an enchanted greataxe, and a ring; more importantly, however, the sorceress found her long-lost fine silver brooch, set with a rich purple amethyst — her token of gratitude from the people of Brindinford, proving to her that even the foulest of hearts can be hailed as a hero… if the people's joy blinds them enough, that is. Storing the treasures within her handy haversack and clutching her cherished brook to her breast Quintessa swam back up to the surface and magically flew towards the cliffs above, hugging the wall until she could return safely to the barracks and reclaim Fi'jit, commanding her vampiric servant to continue his guard till she returned. Before finally teleporting back to the Cusp of Sunrise Quintessa glared back at the Kopru Ruins, both praying that her conflicts with the dragon had not disturbed its "guests" …and, at the same time, still holding a fierce desire to challenge the might of Those Who Hear.

FREEDAY, WEALSUN 14TH, 595 CY

It was mid-day when Quintessa and Fi'jit finally left their room at the Cusp of Sunrise, having spent the day in rest and relaxation, recovering from the previous day's turmoils. After a fine breakfast as any the sorceress looked over the modest treasures she had accumulated, discerning the scrolls as arcane in nature, affecting the spells jump and summon swarm, respectively; a minute of inspection told her that the oil was affected with the spell invisibility, thinking that a potion would have made the dragon more difficult to deal with; she could find nothing of note regarding the greataxe save a base enchantment, but some research in the Cusp's library and the sharp eyes of Fi'jit led her to believe that the ring was one of sustenance, which would explain why the dragon had made little impact on the world around it — such a ring would enable one to survive without the need for food, water, or even much sleep. Gathering up the belongings with a proud smile Quintessa made her way to Skie Aldersun's to unload and chat up a storm with her fellow sorceress, describing her conquest of a black dragon's lair, not bothering to mention that it was merely a young adult of its kind, and feeling quite clever for holding sway over death with her commanding of a fearsome vampire… which she neglected to explain was certainly weak-willed.

The aging gnome looked upon her customer with the glowing eyes of azure with a raised brow, choosing not to question the validity of such claims considering the treasures presented before her, simply exchanging them for coin; Quintessa also asked for a second scroll of darkvision, mentioning another excursion down into the Kopru Ruins to take care of some "unfinished business." Taking her leave of Skie's Treasury the sorceress returned to the Cusp of Sunrise with her familiar in tow, disguised in his wolf-shape, preparing herself with her scroll of darkvision, augmenting herself with shield, fly, haste, and greater invisibility, as well as her usual choice spells before teleporting back…finding the entirety of the overlook engulfed by thick walls of ice, her vampiric servant striking them in an attempt to break through. Recognizing the walls of ice as being magical in nature, the angered Quintessa waved her hands and spoke out a word of

command, dispelling it with great effort and difficulty…which served to only enrage her further… and leave her open to the bite of the skeletal horror that had impeded her movements: an osyluth, a bone devil, a fiend she had dealt with in Brindinford years earlier. The devil, floating before them, made itself invisible and disappeared from all but her arcane sight, as she took to the air after it, leaving Fi'jit behind.

In the devil's place appeared the figment of a crimson dragon of colossal size…but as one focused in the art of illusions Quintessa saw through the guise, aiming a lightning bolt at her unseen foe which it, too, disbelieved; one who can se the dark has nothing to fear from mere shadows. In turn, the osyluth reached out for her, unleashing its fear aura that left the sorceress shaken for a moment, preventing her from overcoming the fiend's resistance to mortal magic, making an attempt to flee out of its range, dodging its clenching jaws as the two foes flew high above the Phantom Lake, the osyluth noticing the minute changes in the whispy vapors that filled the cavern and charging after her, missing with another bite as Quintessa fled, seeking a place of relative safety to strike back, succeeding in draining away the fiend's life force with a ray of enervation — unfortunately for her the osyluth once more disappeared from view and she used the opportunity to hasten herself again, moving closer to the cavern wall near the overlook. The fiend's eyes proved the keener as it followed her movements, revealing itself as its long, slender arms wrapped around the woman's curvaceous form, barely slipping away as she flew backward, the sudden shock disrupting her aim of another enervation.

The osyluth turned invisible again, frustrating Quintessa to no end as she tried to espy its movements, wishing she had the eyes of Argith with her. Moving as far as her magic may she followed suit, replenishing her greater invisibility so as to confound her foe with her superior power, with the sudden appearance of an angel of no less loveliness than Nimrada shocking her, radiating Heavenly light and an unearthly choir… the but sorceress was vile at heart and had no qualms about striking back at such a being, but her greater dispelling failed to overcome the power of good; what she hadn't realized was that it was as another major image, a trick to fool her senses in an attempt to hide and strike out…if only the two foes could find one another. Holding her tongue out of anger, Quintessa conjured forth a pair of celestial eagles from the shadows, sending them out to find her foe and strike with all power, first at angles away from her before coming together, the illusions flanking the osyluth from either side before it charged towards the sorceress, detecting its location from whence her illusions had appeared, succeeding in sinking its teeth into her sweet flesh, enjoying the screams of pain that resulted from it.

Quintessa, not ready to back down, ordered the celestial eagles to attack, distracting it enough that it fell target to another ray of enervation before fleeing from its sight, if not its claws. The osyluth, believing the illusions surrounding it to be true celestial eagles lashed out against them, slashing the shadows to ribbons, in its fervor seeing through the lightning bolt she fired upon it before it teleported away… reappearing back upon the overlook. Flying towards with great haste, she was forced to stop short as it began to put forth a wall of ice once more… but did not take into account Fi'jit's fearsome wolf-shape or Quintessa's vampiric servant, the latter raking its enchanted spike chain against the osyluth's unholy flesh before her familiar tripped the fiend. Standing up their foe lashed out at Fi'jit but could not overcome his toughened form, as he and the vampire attacked from either side, both likewise missing; the sorceress, running low on her own power, struck with one, last lightning bolt, blasting both through the wall of ice and through their foe, her magic narrowly resisted by her dear familiar. The osyluth, the bone devil, so weakened, was smote down as if by the wrath of Heaven itself… and leaving Quintessa seeking vengeance against Those Who Hear, her outward scowl hiding a secret grin, an inner desire to pray that her foes had more to stand in her way than a mere fiend.

Teleporting back to the Cusp of Sunrise with Fi'jit, Quintessa mended and cleaned her attire with a prestidigitation, restoring herself with another false life before enjoying a long, hot bath and a sumptuous meal — reminding herself that she'll have to return to Skie's for yet another scroll of darkvision.

STARDAY, WEALSUN 15TH, 595 CY

Awaking early with snap and vigor, Quintessa went through her day with a sly smile of pride, seeking not another wasted day as she intended on reentering the Kopru Ruins and to crush as many foes before her as she could; even going so far as being the first customer to come before Skie's Treasury, much to the gnome's surprise. Instructing Fi'jit to take upon his true form, albeit invisible, and arm himself with his bow, the sorceress fully prepared herself before teleporting back to the overlook, protecting herself from fire in case she felt the need to raze the ruins. Meeting with her vampiric servant she gave him the gift of flight and greater invisibility, suggesting they turn upon his former masters together instead of hanging back, traversing the air

and coming before the main entrance of the complex, guarded by the reanimated skeletons of two cloud giants…overcome by her ability to command undead, a simple task for such mindless foes. Bursting through into the "gauntlet" the sorceress and her allies were stopped by a pair of massive blobs of inky black goo, quivering like gelatin at the realization of the sudden intrusion — with a smirk the sorceress warns her companions to step aside as she blasts through the pair with a lightning bolt, the second of which appearing to avoid the full force of the strike as they slithered through the hall towards them.

As they drew near Quintessa fired again with a lightning bolt, flying backwards as she did so and instructing the cloud giant skeletons to strike the first of the oozes, splattering it, but losing their morningstars as a result of the creature's acidic nature, the second coming up from behind and retaliating with a pseudopod, narrowly missing as it slammed against the wall; if such creatures could be enraged this one did so, appearing unaffected by the sorceress' third lightning bolt as it slithered over everything in its path… halted only by the rocks thrown by the giants as they stepped back, the great boulders crashing into the amorphorous form — even Fi'jit, taking on wolf-shape, bit down upon it despite the harm he would inflict upon himself, only to rend it in two as he fell back, dodging the oil-like pseudopod. As the party retreated to the back of the main entrance the giant skeletons throw their rocks with true aim, crushing the newly made pair of oozes as the sorceress reinstated greater invisibility and further hasted all that were with her.

With the aid of Fi'jit, returning to his quasit-form, Quintessa rediscovered the pit traps that had lain at either end of the hall, laughing as she, Fi'jit, and the vampire flew over them while the cloud giant skeletons merely walked over them despite the cramped space allowing them to enter the ruin's workroom first… coming face-to-face with the Third Circle Cabalist flanked by a mindflayer, a human-like fiend, a pair of bezekira, hellcats, and the cabalist's dread creation — a flesh golem. With a notion of boldness Quintessa loudly commented that she cared not who her foes were…only that they would be crushed just like their masters back in Brindinford. The fiendish one began the attack, raising what appeared to be an unholy symbol and striking them with the antithesis of magic, denying Quintessa her shield and one of the giants its haste — its master followed in turn, dropping the sorceress from the air and slowing her familiar; the hindrance to speed affected the skeletons little as they charged forward, striking one of the bezekira with its great claw; the second offers protection for the vampire as he dashes behind it, readying his spiked chain. In the distance the mindflayer vanishes, while the bezekira gnawed and ravaged the bones of the skeletons.

Not wanting to be left out, Quintessa held aloft her hand and called upon the shadows to incinerate her foes — but while she blasts a hellcat, the cabalist and his fiendish companion avoided the full brunt of the fireball. The explosion of shadowy flame awoke the golem, a horrid construct of flesh, as it tore off of its operating table and charged towards its creator's foes, tossing aside all that got in its way; the fiend sought to aid the creature, but its use of unholy blight proved to be little effective against foes no less benevolent than themselves… but its master proved more successful as it further reduced the defenses of Quintessa and her familiar. The skeletons continued their assault, clawing through the bezekira as the vampire ran through one and ran the one through, its spiked chain tearing at its flesh; the hellcats gave as good as they got. The mindflayer reappeared behind the sorceress, but Fi'jit took on his wolf-shape to guard his master, allowing her to focus her attention upon the true enemies, her second fireball succeeding in only harming the cabalist before she and Fi'jit stepped away from her tentacled neighbor — such fortune was not to last as the fiendish cleric immediately went about restoring the cabalist's roasted flesh.

The onslaught of battle all around it caused the flesh golem to break out of the cabalist's control, charging forward in a berserker rage… finding only its mindflayer ally before it, slamming it against the door-frame; the cabalist, laughing with the voice of madness, did nothing to stop its creation, merely turning to the sorceress' allies with five bolts of magic missiles flying through the air to strike at the vampire, his greater invisibility having long-since ended. This mattered little to him as his spiked chain attacked in concert with the giants' claws, tearing asunder their hellcat foes. The illithid sought to defend itself with a mindblast, but found it to have no effect upon its mindless foe while Quintesa, caught in the blast, shook it off with her indomitable spirit. The bezekira, nearly broken, retained enough diabolical ferocity to nearly crush the cloud giant skeletons; the corrupt form of one even resisting another fireball thrown from Quintessa's hand — the cabalist, the terrible, sorcerous foe who had tracked her across the vast wilderness of Oerth, was not so lucky… ruined to such a degree that no unholy power wrought by his cleric companion could repair his destroyed body: such a realization brought the sorceress much pleasure.

This also meant that no one now could control the flesh golem, as its great fists bashed the mindflayer into an unconscious form. With its allies falling one-by-one, the fiendish cleric unfurled its bat-like wings and flew with all of its strength towards a southern alcove, seeking to

avoid further conflict if its facial expression is anything to go on… especially when it witnessed the felling of the hellcats, the vampire's attention turning towards the fiend, throwing out its spiked chain to bring his foe to its knees — such was bad enough if not for the sorceress' desire to overcome all, friend and foe, engulfing the fiend, the vampire, and even a skeleton in shadowy flames — ironically only the fiend remained unscathed, the vampire reduced to gaseous form and both it and a skeleton having their connection to Quintessa severed, her betrayal earning their eternal hatred; such hatred was equal to the rage of the golem, avoiding Fi'jit as he took on his invisibility, dashing back to strike at the skeletons. Using this distraction the fiend slipped through a secret passage, making its escape, the vampire following suit.

Unable to find the wicked sorceress that had wounded it, the freed skeleton stepped forward to strike at the golem, managing to tear into its nearly rock-hard, dead flesh, its controlled partner joining in… only to be blasted by Quintessa again, but as her power began to be depleted it served only to restore the "free will" to the other skeleton and slow the golem… dashing with her familiar she was thankful that her greater invisibility was holding out, the only thing that was keeping them safe from their wrath. Fortunately the golem was too focused on the skeletons as they continued to bash each other, the sorceress taking a chance to sneak up on it and drain from it its unholy mockery of life to strengthen herself, quickly ducking beneath an out-swung, fleshy arm before the skeletons tore it limb-from-limb, searching around for their former master… who was running out of options, calling upon the shadows to bathe the cloud giants in an acid breath, wounding one and melting the other, the remaining skeleton blindly lashing out at her and striking her hard across the face, the false life she had absorbed from the golem keeping her features safe from such scarring.

Fi'jit defended his master, crushing the last skeleton with a bite no less gruesome than that of the mightiest of dire wolves… removing all visible threats from the workroom, giving the pair a moment to relax, Quintessa reinstated their defenses with fly and shield. The cleric and the vampire were still within the Kopru Ruins, recovering their own strength, and the sorceress would not leave until she vanquished them both. Nearly a minute of searching finally enabled them to find the way through the secret passage, Fi'jit's keen senses proving key, and after casting greater invisibility and haste the pair flew through… and straight into a swarm of hellwasps, the crimson cretins buzzing all about her unseen form as her fine body resisted their venomous stings. Infuriated the sorceress retaliated with an acid breath erupting from the shadows before flying away from the nauseating beasts, warning Fi'jit to take on bat-shape and slip into her handy haversack for protection; unfortunately for her hellwasps of great size possess a keen hive mind, utilizing their full senses to track her faintest movements, their stingers finding their mark and inflicting true pain upon her flesh.

Quintessa's forethought gave her the opportunity to reach into her bag and down a vial of antitoxin…giving her the strength to further resist their poison…but not the sickening sensation of their bodies crawling over her, as the sorceress, in great distress, managed to float away from the swarm out of their sight, her greater invisibility keeping her safe from their wrath as she utilized a wand of cure serious wounds to heal herself of the dagger-like stings while the swarm began to drift away. Augmenting herself with false life she slowly followed, hoping to corner them as best as possible, knowing she did not have much time to eliminate them, bathing them with another acid breath, ducking beneath them as they raged and struck with a third breath, though with less effectiveness. As she flew past the hellwasps followed to ravage and nauseate her again, leaving her slumped against the tunnel for a brief moment, making herself small… watching them before, reaching out with a hand charged by a vampiric touch but narrowing missing several times until she returned to sight, the hellwasps swarming around her, piercing her with their blood-hued bodies. Steadying her nerves as best she could, Quintessa finally melted her foes away with one, last acid breath …crushing their winged remains beneath her boot. With her wand of cure serious wounds and false life she healed and strengthened herself once more.

All that was left, she hoped, was the cleric and her former vampiric ally, as she was now forced to arm herself with her wand of magic missile, her most potent magic having long since run low. Exploring the once web-filled caverns south of the ruins, she smirked at the sight of her fiendish foe dashing here and there in a most hurried way as if looking for something… ah, Quintessa knew exactly what her enemy as going to find, raising up a wand and striking out with five magical bolts hitting true; shrieking, the fiend looked back with fiery eyes before dashing deeper through the caves, serving only to corner itself as the sorceress followed, flying after and launching another volley even as her foe held her hands out in defense pleading for her life, pleading for peace… and receiving it in the end. Laughter soon echoed throughout the caverns as the sorceress discovered a number of treasures that the cleric had certainly been looking for: arcane scrolls of acid arrow, enlarge person, and expeditious retreat …not that they would have served the fiend. Divine scrolls there were as well: call lightning, desecrate, eagle's splendor,

spiritual weapon, summon monster I, undetectable alignment, and a pair of cure minor wounds and a cure moderate wounds. Quintessa's laughter only grew more wicked when she examined the contents of some potions: aid, cure light wounds, eagle's splendor, and magic fang. If only her foe hadn't acted with such panic it's possible she would have proved a greater threat to the sorceress… as if the noble would have even seen her as such. Returning to her foe's corpse Quintessa stripped her of her gear, not noticing the faintest of breaths — the unnatural strength of her fiendish forebears allowing her to hold onto the barest thread of life.

Flying through the Kopru Ruins the sorceress thought back to her last, major travels through its dark corridors, recounting her steps, so to speak, recalling Fi'jit's aid as the two narrowly avoided the trapped chamber between the main entrance and the storeroom, following the northern hall back to the former chamber of Triel Eldurast. Thousands of copper, gold, and even platinum pieces mingled with gems of such beautiful brilliance and artwork of finest craftsmanship… surrounding the coffin of the vampire resting perfectly still; before she had the chance to finish the undead horror, another places its intangible hand upon her — the spectre of Triel Eldurast herself! Stepping back after experiencing the soul-numbing touch, Quintessa dodged another grasp as the flame-haired spectre shrieked, despite the plainly visible wound across its ghostly throat… representing the decapitation she had suffered due to the sorceress' allies. Words like "bitch" and "cur" filled the foul air as Quintessa fired magic missiles from her wand, her only defense with the draining of her magic. Triel's spectre seemed to rise up around, but the sorceress was not intimidated, her feet remaining firmly upon the ground as the spirit sank into the walls.

The wait. It was the quiet wait that most often struck at one's heart as Quintessa and Fi'jit kept their eyes out for their old foe, ducking beneath another intangible hand before striking back with bolts of force, the spectre shrieking with expletives and more in pain, her form visibly weakening, a swipe of her hand appearing more half-hearted before Triel disappeared back into the walls. Taking in a deep breath and thrusting out her chest Quintessa called out to Eldurast in a bold, eloquent voice, calling the former cleric of Hextor a coward and a weakling, noting that she was always lesser than her peers… after all, why did she flee Cauldron so many years ago? That was enough to get the spectre's attention as she emerged from the wall before Quintessa, only to be blasted apart by a final magic missile — the final end of Triel Eldurast, as she so hoped; as it would be the end of the vampire as she opened up the coffin and plunged her red steel dagger through its heart, draining him of the necrotic forces that fueled him, while Fi'jit in wolf-shape worked to tear him limb-from-limb and to be granted final rest at the darkest depths of the Phantom Lake.

Returning to Triel's chamber Quintessa found the coffin far less accommodating than her bed at the Cusp of Sunrise but it would suit her needs, succumbing to sleep with her magical powers utterly exhausted…

SUNDAY, WEALSUN 16TH, 595 CY

The only sound that could be heard throughout the Kopru Ruins was the long, loud, unladylike yawn emanating from Quintessa's mouth as she awoke, stretching every one of her delicate muscles and shaking off much of the weakness she had suffered the day before with only a tingling surging through her limbs… leftover from the hellwasps' venom. Looking about her, her dear familiar having kept watch throughout the long night, the sorceress giggled with ecstasy as she lay back in the coffin, blissful at the sight of being surrounded by so much treasure: banded agate, tourmaline, chrysoberyl, white opal, aquamarine, and even a rare black pearl; a chalice and ewer both wrought of silver, the former inlaid with lapis lazuli of only less worth than her own, a large, well-done wool tapestry bearing the heraldry of the Ebon Triad, a brass mug with jade inlays, a cloth of gold vestments, a string of small pearls as a necklace, an embroidered silk and velvet mantle with numerous moonstones, and a most exquisite jeweled electrum ring; a bastard sword and a heavy steel shield, much like the fiend's, rested against the tapestry, both enchanted as her arcane sight could see.

Gathering every piece that she and Fi'jit's wolf-shape could carry Quintessa teleported back to the Cusp for a hot bath and a hot meal before readying a trip to Skie's Treasure and Tygot's Old Things… knowing the pair would be most surprised at the trinkets and tales the sorceress was about to lay before them…

GODSDAY, RICHFEST 4TH, 595 CY

Midsummer Day — The Holy Day of Pelor.

SECRETS OF THE SOUL PILLARS MOONDAY, GOODMONTH 10TH, 595 CY

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GODSDAY, GOODMONTH 11TH, 595 CY

Dark Night.…

WATERSDAY, GOODMONTH 12TH, 595 CY

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LORDS OF OBLIVION ???DAY, MONTH 1ST, 595 CY

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FOUNDATION OF FLAME ???DAY, MONTH 1ST, 595 CY

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THIRTEEN CAGES ???DAY, MONTH 1ST, 595 CY

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STRIKE ON SHATTERHORN ???DAY, MONTH 1ST, 595 CY

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ASYLUM ???DAY, MONTH 1ST, 595 CY

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