Session 33
The party:
Hector, a 12th level Archontean fighter
Coco, an 12th level Archontean magic-user
Julia, a 13th level Archontean cleric of Lucreon
Melnax, a 6th level elf
Bjorn, a 6th level Wiskin assassin
Susarra, a 9th level Archontean fighter (retainer)
Scylla, a 9th level Archontean ranger (retainer)
[Author’s note: Attentive readers will notice that the core group has gained many levels since their last foray; this is due to the huge treasure haul they found in Isadora’s tomb and our house rule that does not cap experience point gain at one level/session.]
After spending a few days recuperating, cataloguing their newfound riches plucked from the tomb of Isadora and Priscus Puncher, and discussing their next moves, the party decided it was time to follow up on a list of loose ends they had left unattended to.
First on their list was following up with the Bastet cult about the location of their missing gold Statuette of Bastet. The party started by traveling west of the surface runs of Arden Vul to the remains of the gladiator’s school, and traveling through the (now misnamed) Minotaur Tunnels to the long and winding tunnel that led to the Nether Reaches. Speaking with the high priestess Outset and her second in command/paramour Juliana the party learned that Bastet had informed the priestesses that the missing statue was to be found on the (now misnamed) Halfling Level, southwest of the beastmen’s domains. After asking a few more unrelated questions and receiving unsatisfactory answers the party decided to visit the Sortian Face on this level before returning to the surface. Now armed with various Sortian eyes, the party experimented and found that certain combinations placed into the face caused a Magic Mouth to appear and recite something in Mythric. One gold and one silver eye made the face say “The League has formed, The Theosophs scorned, Priscus persuades, and Livia dissuades, while Macrinus crusades. Whither the league? Wherefore this intrigue?” One silver and one sapphire eye made the face say “The Theosophs have pounced, The League is trounced. The Greywand is afraid, Livia unmade, Priscus is betrayed and Macribus acts a renegade. Should an anxious Sortian wish for aid to obtain, Let her search near the fire pool in the Ibis Lord’s domain, Or seek the subterranean pool where mist perpetually rains”. One gold and one sapphire eye made the face say “from the face: No time for the usual maxims. Take notice! Zhorak the smith has departed suddenly. His workshop is apparently unguarded. Let the next member of the League to visit these halls go swiftly to the hall of apparition and employ the third rose circle along the northern side. Else it is a long walk of 265 cubits to the north. Make haste! The smith’s treasures will aid Macrinus in the Sortian cause.”
The party was curious about the location of Zhorak’s workshop and so Melnax began casting Locate Place as a ritual. His loud chanting garnered unwanted attention in the form of six large bipedal salamander like humanoids, apparently being led by a slightly more human looking one of their number. The party quickly realized that this was likely a group of what they had seen referred to in various rumors and tomes as “hoppers” or Heqeti. Being somewhat taken aback at suddenly seeing a long rumored foe the party was slow to grasp the initiative and the Heqeti used this pause to their advantage with the foot soldiers holding back at the spell caster pummeled the group with a Fireball, wounding everyone severely and dropping Bjorn. As the two sides moved to engage in melee Coco retaliated with a Cone of Cold which killed half of the Heqeti fighters and bloodied the spell caster. As the fighters were being finished off Coco Magic Missiled and Julia cast Silence on him. As the Heqeti fighters made a futile last stand the leader repeated down the corridor they had emerged from, drinking a potion as he went. He turned into gaseous mist, leaving his equipment behind and disappearing into the Great Chasm. After gathering the Heqeti leader’s equipment Melnax was able to successfully cast Locate Place as a ritual but Zhorak’s workshop was not within range.
The party returned to the surface and made their way to the Baboon Level to perform the Litany of Light. They discovered that the first three parts of the Litany caused a beam of light to appear and increase in intensity in the central Well of Light, before being snuffed out by the fourth part of the Litany. Various benefits were gained by the recipient of the Litany at each step including infravision, an increase of wisdom, true seeing, and invisibility. After performing the Litany they heard huge thundering footsteps coming down the hallway and were greeted by an irate Sisko who indicated in no uncertain terms that the party should knock off the light making activities. Apologizing sincerely, the party asked what Sisco might want in return for them performing the Litany again and he said that he would have to think about this.
After Sisko left the party turned their attention to the muck filled depression that the beam of light terminated at in the Well of Light. Cleaning out the pit they discovered the the muck had been concealing a convex mirror that was apparently designed to fully illuminate the room with bright sunlight. A disassembled tripod was also found that seemed to be designed to hold a swiveling mirror to guide the light down the four hallways which led from the well of light.
Taking advantage of Hector’s True Seeing the party ran over to the pentagram room where they had seen a goat and a rat. There suspicions were proven correct as Hector saw their true forms, that of imps. The party then explored south to fill in their map and discovered the fabled Library of Thoth. They transferred the books of note (including a couple of spell books) and also discovered that the theorized mirror to be used in the Well of Light was located between some bookshelves at the back of the library. They then retired to Lankios’ basement and discussed what they could bring to mollify Sisko before bedding down for the night.
Awaking on the morning of the 24th the party next travelled to the Goblin court to ask King Weskenim what he might be willing to take in trade for allowing them to un-petrify the goblin traditional cultural property known as The Pointer. King Weskenim told them that he was having a problem with one of the goblin tribes trying to delegitimize his reign because he did not possess the Scepter of the Goblins which had disappeared some 300 years before. If the party could find the scepter and return it to him he would be amenable to them unpetrifying the statue.
The party next travelled to the beastman area and requested to talk with Count Skleros. They told him that were trying to get into some caves that they had been told were located southwest of the beastman area. Count Skleros told them that the Great Cavern was located directly south of the beastman area and that the smaller caverns they were seeking likely connected to the the Great Cavern. Negotiations ensued and the party agreed to provide a couple of wheelbarrows of fresh produce and blacksmithing supplies in exchange for access to the Great Cavern. Count Skleros also reiterated that the party would be compensated fairly for any clout cap mushrooms they found as the beastmen’s leader Deino had use of them. After acquiring the goods (no hard task through use of their magic rugs) the beastmen escorted the party through their territory to the barracks of the Long Range Cavern Patrol, an exclusive beastman banda that specialized in forays into the Great Cavern who were a little dismissive of the party and sarcastically wished them luck.
Opening the door the party stepped into the Great Cavern which was very different from most areas of the Halls. The huge, warm, moist cavern was alive with sounds and smells, and was dimly lit by clusters of tall orange glowing mushrooms scattered through out the place. The party took stock of their situation and prepared to set out on their next adventure.
RIP:
None
Foes defeated:
Six heqeti hoppers
One heqeti weaver