Morning
Below the Dourstone Mine assaulting the caves of the Cultist of Bhaal
Pitch black, short of light sources, cold, and damp
Wounded
Justice (critically wounded) 5/40
Hein (lightly wounded) 31/39
Sparrow (seriously wounded) 24/40
Spells Left
Kamist 0-lvl x4, 1st-lvl x5, 2nd-lvl x5
Justice Cure Minor x2, Cure Light x 2, Doom x1, Command x1, Close Wounds x2, Detect
Secret Doors x1
Trogdor Full-up with spells
Carenthal Wizard 0-lvl x7, 1st-lvl x3, Cleric 0-lvl x4, 1st-lvl x3, 2nd-lvl x2
The Heroes spent the better part of the 17th battling the Cultist of Myrkul in a running battle amidst traps and elusive Kenku rogues. After overcoming a series of tarps the Heroes located the ancient temple of Myrkul, most likely built hundreds of years earlier. The labyrinth, a new edition to the temple, seems to have been built to mask the location of the true temple of Myrkul.
Here the Heroes battled the Vile and Evil Faceless One along with his minions a group of female Acolytes of Myrkul. They were ready for the Heroes, as the Kenku boss had alerted them
earlier. Nonetheless, they were defeated despite giving the Heroes some difficulty. The Heroes took one captive, a Mykulite Acolyte named Verizotha, and interrogated here. She gave the Heroes the password to enter the Faceless One’s chilling workshop. Here they found another Spawn of Kyuss and various magical items. They also discovered what appears to be an ancient tome known as the Nethertome of Trask. The book was left in the bookcase for fear of another trap. A prudent and good guess. Carenthal indicated that the book is rumored to have been written by Myrkul himself and details various passages titled the “The Way of the Ebon Triad”. How Carenthal had this obscure bit of ancient knowledge is a mystery to all.
The Heroes also found an entry in a journal made by the Faceless One:
The Age of Worms
The secrets of this page are most holy. Know ye heretics who invade them that the forces of Myrkul are upon thee. If you read this, Theldrick, you have either slain me and doomed our cause, or the time is nigh for our final victory.
At last the riddle of this place is solved. In ages past, a great being known as Kyuss rose above the petty warlords who fought and struggled for material gain. Mighty Kyuss is the herald of the Overgod. Soon, he will sound the clarion call to the faithful. The three sundered faiths shall be made whole.
The undead our agents spotted must be located and captured. If they bear the worms of Kyuss then they perhaps hold the final answer to our research. The Ebon Aspect stirs within the pool, but it is still not ready to emerge. Perhaps a traumatic event – an invasion by heretics, a great battle fought within these halls – could awaken it. But even then it will attain only a minor form.
The Way of the Ebon Triad speaks of the danger of awakening the aspect too soon. Our work will be for naught. We must find the worms and the undead hosts that carry them. If they are not here, then we must send agents to the Skull Gorge. If Kyuss himself, or his agents, cannot shepherd in the Age of Worms, then we shall do it ourselves so that the Overgod may live.
Our course is clear, my dear Theldrick. Smenk is no longer useful to us and must die. Kill him, then send agents to the Stump Bog, to the Southwest. I believe that we will find what we are looking for there, among the lizardfolk. Summon more of your warriors. If the calculations and portents are correct, the time for covert action is at an end. As the Age of Worms begins, we must strike hard and fast to prepare the coming of the Overgod.
Of course, dear Theldrick, if you were so rash as to slay my followers and I, then you, soon, shall join me in the afterlife. Doubtless your treachery has already stirred the Overgod. Our mission has failed, and you will die at his hands.
The Heroes then rested mostly uneventfully. Dolgun discovered that the evil of the Temple seemed to infuse the writhing patters of the walls. Storn had also discovered earlier that the pillars seemed to have souls trapped within that tugged and grappled anyone who approached close to them.
The next morning on the 18th, after resting, the Heroes launched an assault on the caves of the Cultist of Bhaal. The first battle was difficult yet proved, as in all previous battles, only a slight challenge.
No comments:
Post a Comment