The defeat of Captain Thrall!
- ruth.m.ohagan
- Apr 8, 2018
- 5 min read
After the defeat of Captain Thrall, Thraback characteristically takes his head as a trophy. Άdus enters the guard house, finding a heavy oak door, which Vorn manages to unlock despite its slightly unusual look. Άdus enters to find a room filled with books and a desk decorated with skulls decorated with ancient writing. He ascertains that this must have been a room used by a necromancer. Although most of the writings are in draconic, he finds three necrotic scrolls. Within one of the books, sits a page emblazoned with the number 49, Agrippiana instantly goes to take the page, but Vandal and Άdus investigate it first. It seems to contain a fragment from a passage detailing how to raise Nagrul the Foul. Despite Agrippiana’s protests, Vandal gives the page to Άdus who puts it in his bag. In doing this there is the sound of rattling chain… At this curious sound, Agrippiana checks her satchel where she believed the other 8 pages to be, the pages of the Demonicron she had carried despite the suffering and difficulty it has caused her, a burden she took on herself and must see through. The pages are gone. Agrippiana instantly questions Άdus and he confesses to taking the pages from her during the ball in Daggerdale and taking them back to the enclave, back to The Red Wizards of Thay. On checking his satchel to show that he has the other 8 pages, he finds that the wizards must have switched them for forgeries and the scroll containing the true name of Glasya was also taken… Agrippiana cannot contain her anger as she hurls abuse and objection at Άdus, trying to press on him the severity of what he has done; she cannot look at him, nor speak to him. Thraback, on hearing this pushes him to the wall threatening him, yet Lukas is able to slightly calm the situation. Taking their leave of the tension, Lukas and Vandal head outside to investigate the figure that appeared to be following the party. The two of them manage to catch up to a young Drow child with gleaming silver hair; we learn her name is Shelka. She seems terrified of them at first, the call Agrippiana over to try and calm her and to speak to her. She tells us of her and her father, what they had seen of the temple and the boxes coming from the sewers above. She takes us to her father home, although nervous at first, he invites the party in to discuss the seedy ongoing in the temple… He tells of the Drow deity Elistraee, a figure of her adorns the room the party have crammed in to. He tells a sad tale of the fellow followers of this deity, how they were slain by the followers of Lollith, including his wife. He promises to guide us to the temple but did not want to eave his daughter for long. Vorn, to his fellow Drow offers him gold and a rite of passage to our manor in Phandelain, to stay there and be safe, they provide a better life for Shelka. Agrippiana shares an emotional farewell with Shelka , bonding over the loss a loved one, they hope to see each other again.
After conversing, Dandos guides the party to the edge of the temple and takes his leave, making preparations to travel to the surface world.
As the group move down towards the temple, Άdus sneaks closer, using Zenos to scout ahead into the temple. Inside Zenos is able to see an imposing statue of Tiamet, new, in contrast to the crumbling remains of the desecrated temple of Bahamut. The two clerics instantly are awash with the evil aura of the place. The scent of foulness secretes from the very walls. As we make our way in, Vorn checks the statue and finds the breastplate is loose, Vorn pushes this to find the 5 heads of Tiamat mechanically form into a set of stairs leading to an archway. The group can hear screaming coming from ahead. Making their way up the stairs, the group find themselves in a dimly lit tunnel, Vorn sneaking ahead to find the sources of the screams. He finds himself in a place he cannot quite describe, a birthing chamber of sorts, filled with fleshy cocoons being feed by gargling tendrils of black ichors. Vorn can make out flashes of silver darting throughout the room, seemingly draconic and twisted in nature. Vorn witnesses one of the pods, twisting and convulsing, ripping itself open to produce a twisted humanoid draconic form, covering in the black stinking ichors. The other silver creatures move and quickly take it beyond the room. Vorn slinks back to inform the group of what he has seen. The party move up and begin attacking the dragon cultists, who had heard our arrival. After a fairly quick battle, the party turn their attention to the cocoons, it seems to be the magical form of transmutation, and the essence of a corrupted diving spirituality hangs off the magic.
It is then that the group hear a heavy growling voice from the arch ahead of them, “You are just in time to watch our test subject die, welcome, no need to be shy!”
At this stage, Άdus decides to join the group after a time of hanging back. The group follow the voice and come upon a strange and awing sight. Before them lies a portal, perched above it a Beholder with its eye prized open, focusing its dispel magic beam and a beautiful silver dragon, chained, with tendrils sucking is the very life force, seemingly what is feeding the cocoons.
The voice speaks again, “You are about to see the birth of Winter’s Night, there are many of us, we are creating an army – a second darkness. I am Autumn.”
As the party move to apprehend the hooded figure, it darts through the portal.
The pitiful figure of the silver dragon lays suffering, as Vandal and Thraback attempt to cut the tendrils from it. Lukas managed to climb on the creatures back and sever the ties while doing his best to heal the wounds. Agrippiana appeals the creature, urging her to hold on while they break her free, that Janos had sent them to help. The wheezing form of the silver dragon, speaks to her, “I have made something terrible against my will, and I cannot go on any longer. Please take this, place it in my statue, the old man…” The large claw drops a silver token into the hand of Agrippiana who promises to return it, as the beautiful creature gives up its life, the token begins to glow. The dragon shrinks, to the body of a small child with long silver hair, a smile adorns her face though her wounds are many, and she is at peace. Lukas and Agrippiana pray deeply for the soul of the dead creature, and then Vandal offered to carry her body back Janos. As the group are preoccupied with this, Άdus walks through the portal, falling into darkness…. Eventually, he opens his eyes to find himself surrounded by violet hues, mushrooms and a cold dank feeling. Creeping up on him are the silhouettes of 15 Drow with their weapons drawn. One comes up to him with a sinister smile on his lips, “Welcome to Ched Nasad!”
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