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Ust Delmah: Story so far 2
Larien's notes of the group's further adventures, based on her personal observations (picking up as of October 13, 2008).
Having just been joined by two new drow (Kaido & Pathos), the Shadow Guardians stop their initial exploration of the undead lair for the day, and depart via the secret garden passage. On their way back to the 2nd level of It'lal (where Eclip's loyal dog Dagan should be waiting), the group spots two skeleton riders on skeleton horses in the field ahead. Two members of the team are spotted despite the thick undergrowth surrounding them, but the rest of the group is able to launch a surprise attack. Although the skeletons surprisingly have the power of speech and threaten the group as "Traitors who abandoned It'lal", the Shadow Guardians quickly overcome them.
The Shadow Guardians gather up the loot from the destroyed undead, toss the bones into the underbrush, and head back to camp (meeting Dagan on the way). The Matriarch is eager to have them continue against the undead while the element of surprise may still hold, and informs them that a new member will be joining them shortly. After a night's rest they are about to set off again when the halfling bard Giovanni Thornhill appears, preceded by a letter of introduction from the Matriarch. After a quick round of greetings and explanations, the group heads back to the undead lair's secret entrance. Curiously, Puff is absent...hopefully the little pseudodragon is alright.
The group proceeds to the secret entrance of the undead lair without incident. Once inside, they head directly to the passage where they left off and force open the hidden door into an old storeroom. A wooden door appears to be the only other way out. As the group starts to fan out, Isilme and Eclip hear voices on the other side of the wooden door, and Larien detects seven evil creatures. At that moment a mummy breaks through the door, accompanied by four of the undead rider guards, a big undead guard, and another mummy. The sight of the mummies freezes several party members in their tracks. Fortunately, Isilme (with his disease immunity) blocks the door, withstands the horrible Mummy Rot, and holds off the undead hoard with help from the others. Larien launches a fireball into the other room, strategically placed to avoid a prisoner who's chained to the wall (assuming it really is a prisoner....). When Isilme begins to falter, Dagan fills the breech, and Larien resorts to another fireball. Both mummies have fallen, as have two rider guards, and the Shadow Guardians seem to be on the verge of victory.
The battle takes an unexpected turn when one of the undead tries to flee and sound the alarm. Fortunately, a pillar of flame by Eclip destroys him before reinforcements can be summoned. The undead Blackguard proves to be a worthy foe, but Airin finally finishes him off too, and the battle comes to an end. Turning their attention to the drow prisoner, the group discovers she is a ghost of some sort, speaking of a cursed object needing to be destroyed and a treasure needing to be freed. The group learns that the curse will reanimate the undead they just destroyed, possibly in as little as a day. How will they respond to this new challenge?
Having been warned by the ghost of Lady Saplara that the undead here are under a curse emanating from a jeweled spider on the 2nd level, and controlled by her mother the Matriarch, the group continues their search of House Mylyl. Heading upstairs to the kitchen/pantry and then the feast hall, they are faced with four doors; one of which has 16 evil auras behind it. Retreating back to the kitchen the group barely avoids detection, as two of the undead enter the feat hall before returning to the foyer. Airin and Kaido slip back out to properly search the feast hall, and to investigate the three other doors. They return to say that they've found a new stairwell, presumably up to the 2nd level and the heart of this undead-House. Somewhat weakened from their earlier battle, the group debates whether to continue today or return tomorrow with additional spells and scrolls....
The Shadow Guardians reluctantly start to return to camp, deciding that it's too dangerous to proceed further and risk being fear-paralyzed and/or surrounded with inadequate magical resources. On the way back, Larien's familiar informs her of a battle occurring between undead and drow on the open field at the front of the 3rd level. The group arrives just in time to see some of Atrea's drow retreating from battle, with one drow being taken prisoner. The undead head back inside via their main entrance, leaving two guards posted. Needing to pass by the tunnel to get back to camp, the group attacks the guards, who fall quickly but not before sounding the alarm. The Shadow Guardians scoop up loot and bones as they try to retreat before undead reinforcements arrive.
The Shadow Guardians manage to escape before the undead reinforcements arrive, and they return to camp to inform the General of their progress and of Atrea's attempt to negotiate with the undead. The group suggests that perhaps some of the Matriarch's soldiers could provide a diversion to make the final assault on the undead lair easier, but the troops cannot be spared. Overnight, the undead attack the It'lal settlement, killing half a dozen, injuring another dozen, and setting fire to several of the buildings. They warn the survivors to leave before they are murdered one by one. With heavy hearts, the Shadow Guardians prepare to return to the undead lair, knowing that this time they must finish the job or likely die trying.
It's a quiet week as the Shadow Guardians complete their Catacombs transactions after much angst, and discuss strategy for the make-or-break assault on the undead lair. Finally the group sets out, and somewhat surprisingly escapes detection as they re-enter the secret passage. Shockingly, they discover they have left the interior secret door open (to the cellar), and the group prepares even more for a trap or ambush. Something seems very wrong, but there's nothing to do but push onward.
The Shadow Guardians retrace their steps, moving from the cellar to the kitchen to the feast room, searching quietly for traps or an ambush. Six evil auras are detected behind the large door where the group previously detected 16, and a silent debate ensues among the party whether to attack them or to proceed into the servants quarters and on upstairs. But before a decision can be reached, the undead discover them and attack from three directions. Half the party is badly wounded by an Ice Storm, and T'Shalla is struck down by a Blackguard and barely clings to life. The group attempts to rally and counter-attack, but is it too late?
The Shadow Guardians retrace their steps, moving from the cellar to the kitchen to the feast room, searching quietly for traps or an ambush. Six evil auras are detected behind the large door where the group previously detected 16, and a silent debate ensues among the party whether to attack them or to proceed into the servants quarters and on upstairs. But before a decision can be reached, the undead discover them and attack from three directions. Half the party is badly wounded by an Ice Storm, and T'Shalla is struck down by a Blackguard and barely clings to life. The group attempts to rally and counter-attack, but is it too late?
With the help of a summoned Earth Elemental, the Shadow Guardians start to turn the fight ever so slowly in their favor, but it comes at a high cost. T'Shalla is revived by Gio just in time, Gaerin falls seconds later only to be saved by Eclip, and Grif has to fly to safety to escape death. But Dagan suffers wounds to severe to heal, and he passes from the Wold. Using close teamwork, the group's efforts finally pay off and the undead drow begin to fall in large numbers. With most of their comrades destroyed or trapped, the remaining undead wizard and a guard try to flee to the 2nd level. Will the Shadow Guardians be able to stop them?
Although the undead wizard escaped upstairs, the Shadow Guardians manage to destroy all the other undead that tried to ambush them in the Feast Hall, plus two guards who joined the fray late. Weary from their exertions, they must quickly re-group and finish the task at hand, which means taking on the undead Matriarch and whatever undead minions still await them on the 2nd floor.
After swiftly healing their wounds, casting some protection spells, and briefly discussing strategy, the Shadow Guardians follow the escaped undead wizard. No sooner are they upstairs then they spot two mummies down a passageway who sound a warning gong. Fearful of an ambush, the group has no choice but to engage the undead scum, hoping it isn't yet another trap.
The mini-battle with the two mummies goes well. Although the mummies get off a few quick gongs to alert their allies before the area in magically silenced, a flurry of well placed attacks by the Shadow Guardians finishes the undead in no time. Only T'Shalla is slightly injured, and her wounds are quickly healed. Curiously, no undead reinforcements arrive. It seems the group must continue through the ornate doors the mummies were guarding, and it's likely that the undead Matriarch is ready and waiting....
The Shadow Guardians open the ornate doors and are once again faced with multiple mummies, undead guards, and now a powerful Lich/Matriarch. Although the group largely avoids the mummy fear, the battle bottlenecks near the passageway as the mummies are slowly dealt with. And to complicate matters further, the undead wizard reappears, along with an invisible Blackguard (who is quickly lit up by Faerie Fire) and a large monstrous spider. A flurry of spells and well placed attacks seems to tip the fight in the heroes favor, but just as suddenly half the group is hit by a Confusion spell, and the tide turns again. Can the depleted Shadow Guardians possibly prevail in their most difficult battle ever?!?
With four Confused members and spells running low, the Shadow Guardians look to be on the ropes. But they finally succeed in destroying the last of the Lich's undead minions as Airin heroically moves in and starts damaging the precious phylactery display case. Eclip races in to help, and although the Lich tries desperately to kill them both, the case and the cursed phylactery are finally smashed to pieces by Eclip in crocodile form. The price is high though: Airin lies on the ground paralyzed and Pathos is killed by a confused Isilme. Not only that, but now Isilme is possessed by the ghost Saplara (once-daughter of the Lich/Matriarch). Is Saplara truly helping (preventing Isilme from attacking/killing anyone else), or is there one more threat for the Shadow Guardians to deal with?
Finally, all is revealed. Lady Ssaplara controls Isilme until the confusion wears off, and then disarms a trap and leads the Shadow Guardians into the treasure room. The group is surprised to find 35 children in Temporal Stasis, the treasured heirs to House Mylyl, including Ssaplara's daughter Yasume. After offering some of Mylyl's remaining weapons (and possibly some of the gems; the commitment is unclear) and securing the group's promise to watch over and advise the young Mylyl's, the ghost Ssaplara fades from existence. New Matriarch Yasume proposes opening House Mylyl to T'Shalla's orphanage and as a base for the Shadow Guardians themselves. In short order the Bralfah and Bancurpi Matriarchs are informed of recent events, and arrive with reinforcements to assess matters first hand. A debate ensues as to whether the children of House Mylyl should be absorbed into the other Houses, or carry on as a semi-independent House.
The Matriarch council decides to add House Mylyl as an independent house, although under the protection of the Bralfah and Bancurpi Houses until such time as House Mylyl can care for itself. The Shadow Guardians are paid handsomely for their recent services, and given three weeks to tend to research and training. The time passes quickly, and upon re-gathering, the group is informed of failed negotiations with the traitor Lady Atrea – it seems things had been going well but contact then ended abruptly. One of her supporters was seen buying antitoxins, and intel indicates she may be looking for a hidden cult-temple to the old gods, which may in turn hold some sort of artifact. The Shadow Guardians are instructed to search out Atrea's cave and find out what is going on.
The Shadow Guardians begin their search for Atrea's hideout on the 2nd level of It'lal. They soon discover an old tunnel that's collapsed, but which someone recently tried to excavate without success. Pressing on, the group finds a cave entrance and what appear to be hydra tracks. Although hydra hunting isn't part of their immediate mission, they decide the creatures should be dealt with straight away....
The Shadow Guardians enter the hydra cave and quickly encounter not one but two hydras. Unfortunately, the group seems oddly disorganized, and Gaerin is nearly struck down before the hydras can be drawn back into the narrow passageway.
Despite the Shadow Guardians initial problems in the hydra cavern, Isilme seems to save the day when he single handedly kills one of the beasts after the group draws it into the passageway. But the other hydra retreats into the water after being fireballed by Larien and attacked by Eclip's Xorn. As the group ponders how to respond, Gaerin moves back into the open, only to discover that there are not two but three hydras, and the mama hydra's sudden attack leaves Gaerin disabled and feigning death. Pulling out all the stops to save their friend, the group's combined assault drops the mother hydra. With just one hydra left (hopefully), the adventurers attempt to finish the job and salvage some of their damaged pride.
The Shadow Guardians finally dispatch the last hydra, relived that their initial mistakes did not prove more costly. A message is sent for workers to recover the hydra meat, and a group search reveals that the cavern has no other exits or passages (although a small amount of treasure is found). After healing and eating, a new SOP is worked out, which the group hopes will improve their overall combat technique. Once the workers arrive, the Guardians resume their search for Atrea's hideout, and near the end of the day another tunnel into the mountainside is discovered.
The Shadow Guardians search the new tunnel and quickly discover a cavern that Atrea and her people have been living in. All of them seem to have been gone for several days, but exploring turns up a handful of minor magic items, along with clues indicating that they were attacked (possibly by spiders), and that at least some of the drow headed down into a deeper passage/cavern. Tired from a long day, the group camps outside the cavern. During the third watch a dragon is spotted flying overhead, but it either doesn't notice the party or it doesn't care about it.
In the morning Gio reads the High Woldian ruins on the stone Eclip found earlier in the hydra lair, and it seems to promise that a brass dragon will answer three questions if presented with the stone. The Guardians proceed down into the lower levels with Airin in the lead, following the tracks of the renegade drow. After a while, Airin reaches a cavern full of spiders, and although she can pass through safely, she doubts the group can do likewise. As the heroes consider their next move, other voices can be heard entering the cavern....
The Shadow Guardians discover that the approaching voices aren't enemies, but former members Fintarian, Kaido and Xesor. Unfortunately, the spiders decide to crash the reunion before it begins and attack the two groups en-mass while they're still on opposite ends of the cavern. Although the spider onslaught is terrible, and the smaller group of heroes is threatened for a moment, the main group gradually gains the upper hand and begins to move across the cavern while taking only minor damage. Still, the spider poison is a concern for those who've been bitten; the Delay Poison spells will protect the main group for a while, but there are only 6 scrolls of Neutralize Poison on hand....
Quite unexpectedly, Atrea and five of her followers appear and aid in attacking the spider hoard. Atrea calls for the Shadow Guardians to follow them to a safe location, and the group somewhat reluctantly agrees, knowing that Atrea has answers they need. Airin hides and follows along behind, just in case it's a trap, or there is pursuit. Atrea says the spiders are controlled by Driders, evil drow/spider beasts who were believed to by mythical, and that they have captured the rest of her people. She guides the combined groups to a safe location, and our heroes proceed to heal and discuss matters before seeking more information from Atrea.
The Shadow Guardians attempt to question Atrea using a Zone of Truth spell, but for the most part they seem unable to catch her out in any obvious lies, or to trick her into revealing any deeper truths. They do get Atrea to admit that they were searching the caverns for an artifact (probably evil) that's apparently in the possession of the Driders. She seems to believe that such an artifact will help her secure a new drow House, and it may be that she's actually more concerned with acquiring the artifact than rescuing her people. The Shadow Guardians agree to assist with the rescue, but vow privately to watch their backs and prevent Atrea from securing the artifact. In the middle of all this, a vision appears showing images of the Gods, and announcing the beginning of the "Great Migration", after which a major earthquake shakes the cavern for the better part of a minute. (See the April 9 & 10 DM posts for details on the Migration.) The groups can only speculate as to the meaning of the vision, but they wonder if perhaps the earthquake might disrupt the Driders and improve the odds of the rescue mission.
With no more than a basic plan to rescue Atrea's captured followers, the combined groups set off following a nights rest. Although the original route to the Drider temples is blocked, an alternate path is found, but it involves crossing a 30 ft chasm. Grif balks at flying Atrea's people over, however the cursed Rope of Climbing saves the day, allowing a safe crossing for everyone, even Artan and Mowgli. In short order our heroes and the renegade drow approach the Drider lake-cavern, spell prep is completed, and everyone rushes in. Initially there appear to be just nine spiders guarding three web bridges, but another two dozen spiders immediately appear, along with a Drider who promptly dispels some of the Shadow Guardian magic. While the spiders succeed in slowing the group down, the Drider is quickly killed by a combined assault, and nine spiders fall too. Larien's Stinking Cloud spell covers over a third of the remaining spiders, but also blocks the route to the northern web bridge. Can our heroes quickly kill the remaining spiders and safely cross to the Drider temples before more reinforcements arrive?
[break; all of May & June?]
With the constructed and summoned attackers from Dradah Delmah destroyed, the gate closed from the other side, and Atrea presumably responsible, the Shadow Guardians join the Council as they decide how to proceed. After much debate, it's ultimately determined that searching for new allies and trade routes in It'lal takes precedence over risking an immediate counter-attack. The group quickly prepares for the journey ahead, and two days later they set off down a deteriorating road that was once the main land route to and from It'lal.
[really long break; July 2009-Jan 2010]
Dis'ulder, a temporary Shadow Guardian replacement who had been leading "Shadow Guardians Secundus", arrives at the Crimson Shield's HQ with a message from the It'lal Council. The Shadow Guardians are praised for making allies with the Reptilians (but warned against further actions that might spark a war against the Green), and instructed to remain on the Float for another 10 days until an ambassador from It'lal arrives. They also learn that, in their absence, kobolds living deep under It'lal have attacked via one of the portals. The attack was repulsed and a counter-attack made on the kobold lair by Shadow Guardians Secundus, at which point a truce was established. However, while Dis'ulder was preparing for his new mission on the Float, his Shadow Guardians Secundus team members apparently went missing.
Over the next week and a half, the group crams in as much training, crafting and information gathering as they can, all the while making preparations for the new ambassador. On the appointed day, Lady Firbral (the younger sister of Bralfah Matriarch Larvanya) arrives, and in short order the Shadow Guardians are tasked with learning more about the threats in the region, especially the Crying Woods. No sooner has the group decided to seek answers from the Reptilian Hoary Belinda, than a Reptilian messenger Khetchk arrives, informing them that Belinda is missing and her shack destroyed. The Thrul (Elder) the group befriended previously has asked them to investigate the matter and help as best they can.
The Shadow Guardians quickly agree to help investigate Hoary Belinda's disappearance, making arrangements to hire a fishing boat (the Abundant Catch, captained by Gruk Fishfinder) to ferry them to the western shore of Crying Lake, leaving just after sunset. After an uneventful night, the group suddenly smells salt water from the normally freshwater lake -- an occurrence that recently presaged an attack on the Crimson Shields -- and is attacked moments later by a Kraken. One crewman is killed and the beast's tentacles injure Artan and T'Shalla seriously before the Guardians sever the tentacles and drive the beast deep underwater. But is the brief battle really over?
The Kraken casts Control Winds, causing a hard circular wind to appear and keep the boat from moving off, but Larien quickly ends the spell with a successful Dispel Magic. At the same time, Eclip summons huge sharks to chase the Kraken, and the magical beast decides to flee. With the ship back underway they soon reach the shore, after which the Shadow Guardians thank Gruk and disembark, preparing for the journey to Hoary Belinda's shack.
The Shadow Guardians make it to Hoary Belinda's shack after a hard day's travel. They find the shack utterly destroyed, with signs of dragon prints and acid, the hallmark of the Green. There's no hint of Hoary Belinda, suggesting that she's been kidnapped rather than killed. The group does find an inscription in Draconic carved into the rough stone of the mountainside nearby. It says, "The Serpent's Maw is Forbidden!", and appears to have been clawed into the rock by a dragon talon. In addition, Gio finds some scraps of paper from a shredded book, including a reference to 'Serpents Maw' scribbled on one piece. The group then camps for the night, intending to head to Khetchk's village (to the south-east) in the morning.
In the morning, the Shadow Guardians leave for Khetchk's village. During a mid-day break, Dis'uldur receives a message from It'lal, abruptly announcing his recall. He teleports away, promising to have a replacement sent shortly. Before the group can finish lunch, Sesha Cha'Kwaina, a young drow witch, appears. Introductions are made, and Sesha is brought up to speed on recent events. The group then resumes its course and arrives at Khetchk's well-hidden village. They're initially greeted by the reptilian Elder they befriended before, and they see that there are many different types of reptilians gathered here. The Elder then takes them the village leader, Mathir, who greets them in perfect drow dialect and asks about the fate of Hoary Belinda.
The Shadow Guardians speak with Mathir for a while, and while they get a general lead on where the Serpent's Maw might be, Mathir's reluctance to talk about certain things makes some in the group suspicious. Using magic, Sesha divines that Mathir "holds only affection for the prophesied ones", and the Elder reassures them as well. Sesha attempts to communicate with Hoary Belinda, but Belinda sends a single word, "Danger", in reply, before cutting off the link. Unsure what they can do with this vague warning, the group sets a watch for the night. They are awakened just a few hours later, as the village is under attack by reptilians and possibly a dragon (they note acid damage). The group quickly readies for battle and goes to investigate; meanwhile the villagers flee via the escape tunnels and start to collapse them, bringing down some of the buildings as well. Five attackers are spotted, and with the village's defenders apparently having fled too, the Guardians take up the challenge.
The group quickly gains the advantage over the five attacking reptilians, but an unknown enemy strikes Grif with Scorching Rays and then half of the heroes with a Fireball, apparently while using Greater Invisibly. Sesha spots the sixth reptilian using See Invisibility, and the Shadow Guardians begin to neutralize him as well. But an Imp suddenly appears holding Gilin's familiar Sonja, threatening to kill her if the reptilian spellcaster isn't freed. The group opts to attack, feeling certain they can kill the Imp before he kills Sonja, but somehow their efforts fail, and Sonja is killed. Just as suddenly, the remaining reptilians slump to the ground like puppets whose strings have been cut. Their flesh and gear starts to ungulate, and one or two inch runners of white plant fibers start to sprout out and crawl around like worms. As more and more little plants crawl out, the bodies collapse in on themselves as if decaying in a matter of seconds. The little crawling plants drop off on the ground as they move about and then burrow into the soil.
Sesha uses her magic to restoring Sonia to life. The rest of the group heals up and searches the area, but no reptilians -- either enemies or allies -- can be found. Around noon, Giovanni finds something in the torn scraps of the book he found at Hoary Belinda's. The bard thinks he's discovered a description of where the Serpent Maw can be found. Belinda didn't know what was there, only that the Crying Woods keeps it guarded. Deciding to investigate this new lead, the Shadow Guardians head southeast through the forest. The terrain becomes increasingly hilly as the day presses on, but the forest still covers everything. About six hours into the journey, the group is following a stream into a shallow valley when everything goes quite.
The group deduces that the silence is magical, and after a bit of animal exploration and some notable magic use (Sesha turns herself into a Troll, and Larien determines that a small section of the silence can be briefly overcome by Dispel Magic), they determine the silent area is roughly two miles across. With night approaching, they opt to make camp and venture forth in the morning. Come dawn, the party heads in and discovers a clearing and a pond more-or-less at the center of the silence. The pond is fed by a stream, but the outlet is a tunnel at the bottom. A suit of magical armor is stuck to a piece of stone near the underwater tunnel, and magic also radiates from the stone, and inside the tunnel. After further explorations, the group discovers some recent reptilian tracks and a seemingly old firepit. In addition, the area is not only silenced, but protected from the oppressive power of the Woods as well. Closer observation of the stream, and an orange branch seen floating in it, makes the Guardians wonder if the pond water and tunnel somehow feed back to the stream in an endless loop. Sesha puts this theory to the test by sending her cauldron into the tunnel in the hopes that it can report back telepathically.
