The doorway jammed with Aerie and Karion, Bandur, Aramil and Grog started to run around the building making for the far door.
Witch Bolts and Lightning Bolts were ripping through the room as Karion and Aerie ran in as Bandur shoulder charged the other door off it's hinges and burst into the room, surrounded by 4 Cultists all looking menacingly at him!
Bandur wasted no time on charging a Skyweaver. Then slipped and his battle axe slammed into the floor causing some damage and reducing it's effectiveness. Grog cast a sorcerer spell as Garet closed in and killed 2 Cultists as Anor killed a 3rd.
The vortex was spinning faster. Aerie dashed upstairs, Garet followed.
Aerie and Garet found themselves in a large room, curtains hanging between pillars down each side, a raised 'throne' at the far end. They just glimpsed a figure disappearing into the swirling vortex on the floor. Without hesitating Aerie jumped into the vortex followed by Garet.
(as the Skyweaver dropped Anor could see 4 distinct shadows falling down, through the air vortex.)
The vertical vortex spiralled downwards. They lost all track of time and spatial awareness. Falling vertically they were astonished that the exit from the vertical vortex was horizontal. They stood in a rough stone passageway a little disorientated. After a few minutes they regained their balance and where there was a vortex swirling behind them, there now was only a solid stone wall.
Garet led the way, stealthily moving from shadow to shadow. The passageway was roughly 10ft wide and 10 ft high, Garet came to a wider passageway at right angles to the one they were in. He could make out an opening on the far side, pillars of stone were randomly scattered along the wider corridor.
The opening across the way was a dead end, so to the wider corridor to the left. Aerie indicated to head right, along the wider corridor. With here superior darkvision Aerie had seen what looked like a room in the distance. Roughly 25ft in diameter, the 'room' was roughly round in shape with 2 other exits.
Garet chose left and had scouted out another dead end to their left before continuing along a straighter longer corridor, perhaps 15ft wide.
Aerie and Garet had both noticed that the rock wall and floor surfaced looked like they were naturally carved by erosion, but they were underground!
Garet stopped, he could hear chanting coming from ahead.
Cautiously approaching the last corner Garet could see a vast room laid out before him.
Aerie cast mirror image on herself as Garet shadow stepped behind Thurl Merosska and struck her twice. As Aerie moved in towards Aerisi, Aerisi countered with her own mirror image spell. Aerie's strike was true as Aerisi struck a mirror image of Aerie. A contingency went off and Aerie's mirror image spell was dispelled. Merosska whirled round and struck Garet with 2 of her 3 strikes. Windharrow blinked away to a far corner.
Aerie: "Your mine now bitch! You will die for what you did to my sister".
Aerisi answered by casting cloud kill, a yellow mist sprang up around Aerie and Garet. Choking on the poisonous fumes they tried to get away from the cloud of death.
Garet struck Merosska again and again causing massive damage, she was reeling from the myriad of deep slashes from Garets combined short swords. With one last flurry of blows she hit Garet before slumping to the floor dead from her wounds.
Aerisi had taken to flight and moved towards the now shimmering gate. Aerie noticed that her wings were not true wings they were just an illusion of wings. She moved forward only to slump to the floor deadly fumes choking the living breath out of her lungs.
Garet ran and shadow stepped to the flank of Windharrow and hit him with 2 crippling strikes. Windharrow had tried in vane twice to hit Garet and Aerie with a lightning bolt spell. Garet assumed the cloud kill had come from him, Garet was wrong.
Aerisi began to chant again, with greater need to complete the incantation. Aerie dispelled Aerisi's mirror images.
Aerie took whatever healing potions she had to hand and took to the air above Aerisi. She swung her longsword in a mighty arc wanting to drive her down to the ground.
Aerie: "This time bitch, vengeance is mi........"
Aerie had missed badly as more poisonous fumes assailed her lungs. Aerie forgot she was still inside the swirling cloud of death. She collapsed to the ground dying.
Garet could only look on in horror as his final strikes killed Windharrow, bard of Aerisi.
Aerisi: "Vengeance is mine, I see the resemblance now. You will meet a fate worse than your sister........I will offer you to Yan C Bin, who will torment your body and soul for eons to come!"
Aerisi powered downward and thrust with all her might, her spear Windvane struck with deadly force and Aerie took a step closer to death.
Garet with a howl of hatred bursting from his lips charged and shadow stepped to challenge Aerisi and give Aerie some respite.
Garet: "Now you die!"
Aerie clinging to life and calling on Aedrie Faenya for succour as her call was answered. Aerie pulled back from the brink of death and cast a healing prayer and took more healing potions to save her life.
Aerisi jumped back into the air and retreated closer to the gate. Aerie, now standing and out of the effects of the cloud kill. Garet ran after Aerisi and using his ki skills launched himself off the ground and hit Aerisi with double short sword strikes and a flurry of blows. His stunning strike just failing to connect.
Aerisi: "No! Time to end this.....you both shall die!"
Aerisi let another cloud kill loose at her feet. Garet and Aerie again took damage. Garet would have died had the death ward spell cast by Aerie still not been in effect. Dangerously close to succumbing Garet stood swaying.
Aerie succumbed for a second time and fell backwards, landing outside the cloud kill area of effect. Aerie again poured healing into herself.
Garet shadow stepped into mid-air and as he fell tried to strike Aerisi twice but he miss timed his strikes and missed. Landing cat-like on his feet from the fall, Garet felt magical power sweep over himself, he felt sluggish but only for an instant, before shaking the effects off.
Aerie: (In Elvish) "Watch out...Flame Strike!"
Aerie prayed for Aerdrie Faenya to guide her strike and she called forth for Flame Strike! Radiant flames in a whirling cylinder of destruction appeared atop of Aerisi and engulfed not only Aerisi but Garet too.
Aerisi fell to the ground her body changing into a heap of jellied flesh. A blast of wind flashed out from the lifeless form of Aerisi Khalinoth. The cloud of poisonous fumes dissipated in the gust. Windvane and the items Aerisi was carrying fell to the floor.
The evil hag that had killed her sister was dead, Aerie had taken her revenge.
Time was of the essence, the gate was expanding outward, Aerie took Windvane and shouted....
Aerie: "I willingly give this back to whence it came!"
She threw Windvane with all her might and it flew through the gate opening, as soon as it had passed through the gate closed.
Aerie ran over to Garet and gave him what healing she had and he then took more of his own.
The chamber was expansive. Huge in fact. Where Windharrow had fallen was a hidden alcove. Garet found 4 swirling balls of energy. Bothe Aerie and he agreed these could only be orbs of destruction and only 1 had been used to destroy Bargewright.
They searched the bodies and a quantity of items were found.
Aerie and Garet came up with a plan. Hoping the group were somewhere safe Aerie hit her pendent. She found herself in the Swinging Sword Inn.
Aerie: "Hello boys and girls.....you might want to cover your ears!"
Garet popped beside her a scant few seconds later.
From outside a deep rumbling noise could be heard.
Garet: "Shit, holy crap........I think we set off a chain reaction!"
Not a second later and Elminster had appeared beside them.
Elminster: "Well you've certainly stirred up a hornets nest with that one! Now, just who's idea was it to drop an orb of destruction onto 3 other orbs of destruction under ground? Eh? Um!"
Aramil looked towards Aerie and Garet and said....
Aramil: "You did what!?"
Aerie: "Well yeah, we did....no harm done?" (she looked to Elminster for confirmation)
Elminster: "Rudimentary physics. Rudimentary. Your little plan has not only destroyed the Wind Cult Temple but 95% of the underground city of Tyr-Besil. The other two cults and the Water Cult had orbs of destruction stashed. They were going to unleash them to cause untold destruction. Your little escapade set them all off. All 4 gates, Cult Temples and the Elder elemental Eye are now under thousands of tons of rock. So by pure luck.........a job well done. Now we must depart.......sorry not We but Aramil and I. We have important work to do. You will see your friends again."
Grog: "It is time for me to depart back to my village. I have been away for too long. I will journey back to Axeholm using my pendent and from there use the teleportation circle to get me home. I you are in the north look me up. I leave the following items for the groups use"
24 arrows in 2 quivers
57 bolts in 3 quivers
5 x 2d4+2 healing potions
2 x 5d4+5 healing potions
1 8d4+8 healing potion
1 x 10hp healing potion
for Aerie, 600gp worth of gems enough for 2 revivify prayers
With that, Elminster placed his hand on the shoulders of Aramil and Grog and they were gone.
Gained by Aramil, Anor, Bandur, Grog and Karion
+2/+2 Longbow with 5 +1/+1 arrows and 2 +2/+2 arrows
3000 copper pieces, 1000 silver pieces, 210 gold pieces, 9 gems worth a total of 450 gold pieces
(cash already divided up)
Gained by Aerie and Garet
Short sword +1/+1 (non magical)
Druidic Amulet of health (boosts CON to 19)
Wand of Secrets (3 charges, recovers 1d3 charges/day finds secret doors traps within 30ft)
Mithral Chain Mail (No strength requirement, no negative on DEX checks)
Goggles of the night (gives darkvision to 60ft)
Pair of SENDING Stones (Cast a SENDING spell from one stone to the other).
Charm of the Storm (3 uses only allows lightning bolt spell to be cast 3 times)
Bag with dust of disappearance in it. (Effects last 2d4 minutes)
Potion of Invulnerability
Potion of Water Breathing
1 x 8d4+8 healing potion
1 4d4+4 healing potion
6 x 2d4+2 healing potions
Grog's bag of holding
Bardic Spell book (22 pages) (Windharrow)
Thuderclap (Cantrip)
Absorb Elements (Level 1)
Cure Wounds (Level 1)
Shield (level 1)
Thunderwave (level 1)
Invisibility (Level 1)
See Invisibility (level 2)
Misty Step (Level 2)
Silence (level 2)
Dispel Magic (level 3)
Slow (level 3)
Dimension Door (level 4)
Hags Spell Book (92 pages) (Aerisi Khalinoth)
Gust (Cantrip)
Thunderclap (Cantrip)
Lightning Lure (Cantrip)
Absorb Elements (level 1)
Zephyr Strike (level 1)
Cure Wounds (level 1)
Chromatic Orb (level 1)
Expeditious Retreat (level 1)
Shield (level 1)
Thunderwave (level 1)
Witchbolt (level 1)
Gust of Wind (level 2)
Invisibility (level 2)
Mirror Image (level 2)
Misty Step (level 2)
See Invisibility (level 2)
Silence (level 2)
Warding Wind (level 2)
Counterspell (level 3)
Dispel Magic (level 3)
Lightning Bolt (level 3)
Slow (level 3)
Storm Sphere (level 4)
Conjure Minor Elementals (level 4)
Dimension Door (level 4)
Steel Wind Strike (level 5)
Conjure Elemental (level 5)
Cloudkill (level 5)
Seeming (level 5)
Wall of Force (level 5)
Investiture of Wind (level 6)
Contingency (level 6)
Disintegrate (level 6)
Rumours:
Fabien and Zindra have both kept their eyes and ears open.
They overheard 2 wagon drivers talking over ale of the over the large payment
they received for transporting goods from Triboar to Waterdeep via Red Larch.
It would seem that regular journeys would be made. The 2 wagons are being
escorted by 10 well armed outriders. These too have added over a drink or 3
that they have been well paid for escorting the 2 wagons to Waterdeep.
Zindra took a gander outside and saw the crates were stamped
with a design she had never seen before, perhaps a new trading company set up
by one of the Lords of Waterdeep, who knows?
Job Offers:
DEFACTO HARPER MISSIONS
Posted: 10th September 1491 DR
Mission: Locate and destroy a possible Dragon Cult Cell in
Neverwinter. Must be done with great stealth and not brought to the attention
of the ruling powers.
Employer: The Harpers
Reward: All treasure gained + 500 gp
Posted: 15th September 1491 DR
Mission: A small break-away faction of the Many Arrows Orc
Tribe has journeyed into the Silverymoon Hills where it has established a base.
The local Lord fears that the faction seeks to establish its own tribe. Travel
into the Silverymoon Hills, locate the Orc faction, and destroy it or at least
drive it out.
Reward: All treasure gained + 500 gp
Employer: Ruler of Silverymoon
Posted: 29th September 1491 DR
Mission: There is a group of coral caves on a rocky and
remote south-eastern shore on Orlumbor Island. Long have these caves been
off-limits to the local populace due to persistent stories of mysterious,
alluring, but deadly dangers that dwell within and without. Travel to Orlumbor
Island, explore the sea-caves, and report fully to the local Lord. Evidence of
findings required.
Reward: All treasure gained + 550 gp
Employer: Baronet of Orlumbor Island
Posted: 15th November 1491 DR
Mission: Something old stirs in the Mere of Dead Men. Local
settlements say it is the evil spirit of the Mere come to punish humans for
mistreating her gifts. Travellers and settlements around the Mere need to know
what is stirring and how to respond. Gather intelligence on what stirs.
Reward: 500 GP Plus all treasure gained
Employer: Constable of Leilon
Posted: 3rd December 1491 DR
Mission: The woodcutters of The Cloakwood are refusing to go
deep into the forest interior. They report casualties. More to the point, they
report woodcutters being found murdered and “displayed” in elaborate traps. We
have no leads as to who or what is killing the woodcutters of The Cloakwood.
But if they don’t cut wood…well, no wood gets cut and that isn’t good for
anyone. Find out what is doing the killing and kill it. Evidence required.
Reward: All treasure gained + 1000 gp + Crossbow of Blasting
Employer: Baron of Southshire and the Baron of East Shire,
Baldurs Gate
Kheldell Logging Company: Posted 27th
January 1492
The trail to Kheldell, the Kheldell Path, is not safe. An
unescorted supply train was found attacked some 8 miles from Kheldell itself.
Although blood was found at the scene the horses and drivers bodies were not
found. A bloody trail led into the forest to the south of the Path.
Reward: 500GP For the safe delivery of missing goods to
Kheldell and the return of the Drivers Bodies. Plus any treasure found to be kept by any who
undertake the job. Report to logging manager on arrival.
Waterdeep Garrison in Amphail: Posted 25th
January 1492
Hegrash the renowned bandit Ogre is reported to be in the
area to the north west of Amphail.
Reward: 50GP for information leading to the capture of
Hegrash. Or 250 GP plus all treasure found for the head of Hegrash delivered to
the garrison commander Amphail.
Missing – Daughter: Posted 22nd January
1492
Daughter and escort missing near Black Maw Bog. Reward for
safe return to Triboar.
Reward: 250 GP for safe return of daughter to Arvin
Glitterdale, Triboar.
Kheldell Logging Company: Posted 28th
January 1492
Escorts required for 1 month trial period. Safe escort of
convoys to and from Kheldell.
Pay: Initially 2.5 Gp/day plus food. (Negotiable) Rising to
5 GP/day dependent on results. Report to logging manager on arrival.
Scouting of Ironslag: Posted 15th January
1492
The Lady of Silverymoon requires information as to who or
what have installed themselves in Ironslag, the fabled Dwarven Forge complex.
Reward: 1000 GP plus all treasures gained. Report to the Captain
of the Place Guard, Silverymoon.
Troll clearing in Nesme: Posted 12th January
1492
A hardy group of adventurers are required to clear certain
areas surrounding Nesme of an infestation of Trolls.
Reward: 50 GP per troll head collected. Report to Town Council
on arrival.
Escorts Required: Posted 9th January 1492
Guards required to escort shipments from Phandalin to Triboar and return.
Pay: 2 GP/Day Bonus 50 GP on safe delivery of shipments. Report to Phandalin Merchant Exchange.
Missing Person: Posted 8th January 1492
Investigate disappearance of Councillor Agath Redholt. Missing travelling to Waterdeep from Leilon.
Reward: 1000 GP for safe return. 25 GP for information leading to safe return. Report to Town Council on arrival.
