Post by cassusaevum on Jul 22, 2020 13:47:13 GMT -5
Session 10: The Dark Islands
Leaving the area beyond the canyon, the party found a small encampment where the pair of varags that had attacked them had, apparently, been resting. In the chamber, they found numerous carvings dating back to the hyperborean era and a number of statues.
In the chamber beyond, they found a canal. A water weird raised up from the canal and challenged the players. However, when they made it clear that they were the enemies of the tomb raiders, the weird, which appeared wounded, relented. It told them that it had been summoned hear many centuries ago by an ancient wizard who died before unbinding the summoning. The weird was now trapped here, possibly for all eternity. It asked the heroes to free it, and they promised to make the attempt, but not until they had dealt with the invaders in the tomb. The weird agreed, and gave them what information it had. It had been attacked by an arcane spellcaster (likely Xeron), a hobgoblin cleric, numerous varags and undead things as well. The weird had been forced to retreat into the waters, and the invaders had left.
As the party continued deeper, they found themselves in a long hall that appeared to honor a number of fallen heroes with magnificent statues set before their tombs. While examining these, the heroes were attacked, as a wererat assassin seemed to materialize from thing air (or perhaps from invisibility). A fierce fight ensued, but ultimately, the creature was put down. Pyra, however, did get bit during the fight...
Severely wounded by the attacks from the assassin, the party took some time to heal up, winding themselves round and round and round and round with bandages. Apparently, however, there was an enemy in the next room who had heard the fighting, and he took advantage of the time to set up an ambush. As the heroes opened the door to the next chamber, they were blasted by a lightning bolt and swarmed by the living dead. Another fierce fight ensued in which the heroes put down a hobgoblin who exhibited control over the dead and its minions, including the skeleton of a giant minotaur.
Exploring the room beyond revealed more statues, tombs, and friezes, detailing ancient battles that even Lyrie had not heard of in her learning. She spent a good amount of time documenting what she could as the others explored the more mundane features of the room. Of particular note was an enchanted fountain whose waters were as refreshing as a full night's rest.
Beyond the fountain chamber, the heroes found a long climb down to a series of natural stone columns set in a vast chamber. The area beneath was flooded with water and a series of ropes connected one stone island to the next. As the heroes shone their lights around the chamber, they fell upon a strange creature hiding along the walls. The beast, two giant eyeballs connected by tentacle-like tissue flew into the air and began blasting the heroes with beams from its eyes. In the ensuing fight, the thing wrapped itself around Lyrie and took off. Pyra leapt after her, and they managed to kill the creature, sending the corpse, the goblin, and the wizard all plummeting into the waters below.
Despite the challenges, the parties made it across the dark islands. On the other side, they found themselves at the entrance to a vast and magical labyrinth. Fortunately, Lyrie was able to decipher the magical energies and start leading the party through, though they did find their way into several traps and encounters, including one where the wizard believed herself replaced with a doppleganger who wanted nothing more than to kill the party.
After many, many hours, the heroes neared the end of the labyrinth...
Next Time: The Tomb of the Forgotten King?
Leaving the area beyond the canyon, the party found a small encampment where the pair of varags that had attacked them had, apparently, been resting. In the chamber, they found numerous carvings dating back to the hyperborean era and a number of statues.
In the chamber beyond, they found a canal. A water weird raised up from the canal and challenged the players. However, when they made it clear that they were the enemies of the tomb raiders, the weird, which appeared wounded, relented. It told them that it had been summoned hear many centuries ago by an ancient wizard who died before unbinding the summoning. The weird was now trapped here, possibly for all eternity. It asked the heroes to free it, and they promised to make the attempt, but not until they had dealt with the invaders in the tomb. The weird agreed, and gave them what information it had. It had been attacked by an arcane spellcaster (likely Xeron), a hobgoblin cleric, numerous varags and undead things as well. The weird had been forced to retreat into the waters, and the invaders had left.
As the party continued deeper, they found themselves in a long hall that appeared to honor a number of fallen heroes with magnificent statues set before their tombs. While examining these, the heroes were attacked, as a wererat assassin seemed to materialize from thing air (or perhaps from invisibility). A fierce fight ensued, but ultimately, the creature was put down. Pyra, however, did get bit during the fight...
Severely wounded by the attacks from the assassin, the party took some time to heal up, winding themselves round and round and round and round with bandages. Apparently, however, there was an enemy in the next room who had heard the fighting, and he took advantage of the time to set up an ambush. As the heroes opened the door to the next chamber, they were blasted by a lightning bolt and swarmed by the living dead. Another fierce fight ensued in which the heroes put down a hobgoblin who exhibited control over the dead and its minions, including the skeleton of a giant minotaur.
Exploring the room beyond revealed more statues, tombs, and friezes, detailing ancient battles that even Lyrie had not heard of in her learning. She spent a good amount of time documenting what she could as the others explored the more mundane features of the room. Of particular note was an enchanted fountain whose waters were as refreshing as a full night's rest.
Beyond the fountain chamber, the heroes found a long climb down to a series of natural stone columns set in a vast chamber. The area beneath was flooded with water and a series of ropes connected one stone island to the next. As the heroes shone their lights around the chamber, they fell upon a strange creature hiding along the walls. The beast, two giant eyeballs connected by tentacle-like tissue flew into the air and began blasting the heroes with beams from its eyes. In the ensuing fight, the thing wrapped itself around Lyrie and took off. Pyra leapt after her, and they managed to kill the creature, sending the corpse, the goblin, and the wizard all plummeting into the waters below.
Despite the challenges, the parties made it across the dark islands. On the other side, they found themselves at the entrance to a vast and magical labyrinth. Fortunately, Lyrie was able to decipher the magical energies and start leading the party through, though they did find their way into several traps and encounters, including one where the wizard believed herself replaced with a doppleganger who wanted nothing more than to kill the party.
After many, many hours, the heroes neared the end of the labyrinth...
Next Time: The Tomb of the Forgotten King?