DRAMATIS PERSONAE:
Rodrigo (Swashbuckler 3), with henchman Corvus (Fighter 1)
Kwinsea (Aquamancer 4), with familiar Hermes
Abdul el Abdul (Fighter 5), with henchman Otock (Dwarf 1)
Chaff (Vivimancer 4), familiar Pretty Bird, riding dog Puppy Whuppy, henchman "No 7" (Halfling 2)
Torak (Cleric 4)
With everyone back in Xin, Torak now rejoined the party to inform them
that the proper time had come to delve into the phantasmal Temple of the Sea
Demon and recover the conch of the sea demon
for the Drowned God. The moon and the stars would be just right a few nights hence.
Which left just enough time for Rodrigo, flush with cash and martial vigor, to
rent the “Hangman and Witch” for a big party with all his friends and a whole
lot of other people who just showed up. Including a few non-friendly types,
such as the two cloaked and daggered figures who tried to shank Corvus in the
alley. Luckily, they were somewhat inept assassins, as the beefy fighter heard
them approach and stabbed one in the face, while the other fled into the night.
Examining the body in the moonlight,
Corvus noted that the man had a faint circle tattooed on his forehead.
Meanwhile, back inside the tavern, the party had gotten a little out of
control. Somewhere in the ruckus, Rodrigo was trying to do swashbuckley things
with the candles in the chandelier. And in his drunken state, dropped a handful
of lit candles in the straw on the floor. The ensuing conflagration burnt the decrepit
old tavern to the ground, and by morning nothing was left but smoldering cinders.
The remaining revelers didn’t seem aware that Rodriogo was responsible, but a
few noted a man had made a circuit of the crowd watching the tavern burned, whispering
sly hints that he knew who was responsible. The mystery man had disappeared by
the time The Purple and fire watch arrived. A few wags in the area noted
burning the place wasn’t a bad idea; at least it took care of the rats that
infested the place.
The party quietly nursed their hangovers throughout the day, and then
buckled on their armor (including Abdul el Abdul in the fancy new armor looted from the Cha'nrk Marshal Commandant) and weapons when night fell. Following the directions
provided by the Temple of Brall, the party weaved their way through back alleys
until they reached an abandoned plaza. There was no-one about, but in the
centre stood a slightly mirage-like black, boxy structure. There was no visible entrance or window,
except at the base of the dome that formed one end of the temple. There, faint
light leaked out through a pillared opening. With Torak and Abdul el Abdul in
the lead, the party headed for the light. Reaching the entrance, they glanced
inside, spying a large pool which filled most of the space. Apart from a
circular stairwell that curved up the wall and another pillared opening, the main
point of interest was the man standing next to the pool. Dressed in charcoal
robes and with face hidden, he noted Torak and Abdul el Abdul in the entrance
and challenged them: “Who dares enter the sanctuary of the Sea Demon without
leave? Identify yourselves!” Abdul el
Abdul stumbled out am innocuous reply, while Torak identified himself as a
priest of the temple of Brall. With that revelation, the figures straightened,
and he shouted “Heretic! Worshiper of the false human aspect of the Sea Demon!
Feel the wrath of the depths!” The priest stared to chant, and a cloud of mist arose
from the pool, filling most of the room and blocking the party’s view. Rushing forward, those near the front of the
line moved around the edge of the room to where the priest had stood. There, they
found him in the process of turning and running out through the other pillared
entrance. He didn’t make it, as Kwinsea used
command rope to tie his feet, while Abdul el Abdul took advantage
of his immobility to hack him to death.
Taking a momentary breather, the party decided to head up the stairs.
With Abdul el Abdul once more in the lead (and Kwinsea standing guard at the
back, watching for any intrusion through the pillared opening), the party climbed quickly. At the top was a door of black wood, which the fighter easily opened. On
the other side was a narrow, rail-less span which arced though the night sky to
a second door in the other half of the temple. Carefully, the fighter crossed
the span, giving everyone else the signal to follow when he reached the other
side unscathed. Once everyone had
gathered behind him, the fighter once more proved his worth as a door opener
and barged through the portal and into a room on the other side.
At first glance, the room was largely empty, except for a pile of pillows
in one corner and a long curtain draped across one side. On the pillows lay another priest, somewhat
better dressed than the last, laying back and smoking a water pipe. Startled he
jumped up as the party barged in, each one yelling “Give us the Conch!!” as
they charged upon the confused man. He didn’t stay confused for long, breathing
a cloud of mist at Chaff that paralyzing the vivmancer and his riding hound. A flurry
of attacks followed as the priest cast another spell, yelled for help, and then
died under a flurry of blows. There was a short lull as Torak cast a
cure spell on Chaff to release him from
paralysis, and others had a quick look behind the curtain and around the room
to make sure there were no other surprises waiting.
The surprise instead came through the same door they’d entered, which
now burst open and a pack of priests rushed in with tridents at the ready. The priests slashed wildly, drawing much blood.
Focusing many of their attacks on the heretical Torak, they dealt the cleric
the hand of death. Meanwhile, Chaff melded
two of the priests together, and the rest of the party fought back furiously
with sword and axe and trident and pistol. As the priests started to fall, one
facing off against Corvus managed to bull rush past the big fighter and dove
into the pillows on the floor, frantically trying to reach something below
them. He never reached whatever he was looking for, as Corvus decapitated the
man with a mighty swing of his two-handed sword. At about the same time, the two
melded priests disengaged and
shuffled towards the door. They made good progress considering their impediment,
but Rodrigo chased them out onto the bridge. He stabbed one to death, and as
the body fell over the edge, it dragged it’s still melded companion with him to a screaming death below.
Back inside the room, Torak's remains were gently laid in a few pillows to be dealt with later, and everyone started searching the space. Corvus
pushed the pillows aside and found a trap door hidden beneath them. Kwinsea
when to check behind the curtain, and found crates, barrels and amphorae filled
with wine (a bottle of which she pocketed). There was also a door, at which
Abdul el Abdul and Otock had a listen, but heard nothing. Corvus also noted a
series of niches in the wall behind the pillows, each holding a grotesquely misshapen
lead figure. Chaff and No 7 went through the opening in
the north wall, where they found a low table surrounded by more pillows. On the
table was a silver censer and an ewar of wine, plus a mass of papers. Reading a
few, Chaff discovered these described a hidden dream city that existed parallel and opposition to Xin, sections of which could be reached through one's dreams. There was not enough detail to tell you how to do so, and it certainly did read like the ravings of a madman. But C|haff pocketed them just the same
Two additional exits led out of this room, so Chaff led a group to check out one and Rodrigo headed for the other. Chaff found a small room containing a shallow font filled with water. Three tiny vials sat on the rim, arranged in a triangular formation. While Kwinsea checked for secret doors, Chaff sniffed each of the vials. One smelled familiar, but the vivimancer couldn't quite place it. Regardless, he pocketed all three for later examination and/or use. Rodrigo meanwhile, glanced into a wide empty hall. The swashbuckler heard nothing, but caught the sound of running water somewhere ahead ...
TOTAL XP
1200 (Rodrigo)
1114
GAINS
3gp, 1sp
silver censer (140gp)
A bottle of fine wine (30gp)
3
unideitifed potions (?)
A whole bunch of tridents
KILLS
9 Lesser Priests of the Sea Demon
1 High Priest of the Sea Demon
LOSSES
Torak
