Session 48 -Tyree Tasting Demon Food

7th Nightal 1371 DR (Year of the Unstrung Harp)
afternoon
Deep below the Calim Desert, south in distant Calimshan
cold, damp, and windy

Injury Report
Menelvagor - Dead (ash)
Tyree - bad down 140 pts
Please email DM with your injuries.

Spell Report - (email DM with spells used on the 7th, teleport/buffs etc)
Shield (on Storn in 5 minutes)
Alter Self (Alobron, expires late afternoon 7th)
Dragon Skin (Alobron, expires late afternoon 7th)
Mass Conviction (expires late afternoon, 7th)
Heroes Feast (+7 temp HP except Egwaine and Tyree injured/healed, expires midnight end of 7th)
Greater Mage Armor (Kamist, expires midnight end of 7th)
Divine Ward (Alobron, storn, Tyree, expires highsun 8th)

The Heroes managed to get the doors open and Tyree jumped and climbed his way to the opposite side. All was fine until Tyree began to climb up to the ceiling through a small opening about 40 feet up and another hero used a fly ability to enter the room. This most likely triggered two huge Air Elementals lurking below in the glowing blue fog. They raced up and began attacking. Tyree retreated up into the chamber above and the rest of the Heroes began a huge battle that resulted in a stalemate in which Menelvagor used High elven Magic to trap an Air Elemental inside a Magical Sphere. He then set off an empowered Fireball within the enclosure destroying the creature and unfortunately himself. All that was left was ash.


Tyree was greeted by an unholy multi-eyed Occulus Demon that shot eye rays of negative energy out of its hundreds of eyes. Tyree charged in for the attack and landed a solid blow. The Demon just laughed and unleashed a flurry of sword strikes and deadly eye rays. Tyree was almost killed outright. Luckily Tyree began to retreat just when two other demons appeared with BBQ sauce and steak knives in hand. Somehow Tyree made it through the hole with his life only to fall 40' to miraculously land in one of the Air Elemental's whirlwinds. Somehow the creature was too busy fighting the other heroes to notice Tyree and fortunately deposited him on a pillar near the entrance.

After some confusion on the part of the Air Elemental, (the DM) , and the closing tomb doors, the Heroes managed to assemble back in the entrance room before the doors closed.

The Session ended abruptly (so the DM could regroup, regain his composure, and much needed rest) with the Heroes standing at the magically trapped entrance doors.

Will the DM survive this Campaign? Will the Heroes ever make it to the Icosiol's tomb? Will they have the power to defeat the Occulus Demon and his BBQing twin demon helpers? And will Tyree ever get a break? For the answers to these and more tune in to the next session of the Age of Worms Campaign.

Session 48

Player Participation Check.

For this upcoming Session 48, please bring with you a suggested quest card for your PC that is in keeping with the theme of the Campaign and in character with your PC. This is an extra XP opportunity and a gauge for the DM to tell if all this effort put into this website is actually worth it or a waste of time.

Regards.

Session 47 - Resting in Waterdeep

7th Nightal 1371 DR (Year of the Unstrung Harp)
highsun
Deep below the Calim Desert, south in distant Calimshan
cold, damp, and windy

Injury Report
all full up

Spell Report - (email DM with spells used on the 7th, teleport/buffs etc)
Shield (on Storn in 15 minutes)
Alter Self (Alobron, expires late afternoon 7th)
Dragon Skin (Alobron, expires late afternoon 7th)
Mass Conviction (expires late afternoon, 7th)
Heroes Feast (+7 temp HP except Egwaine injured/healed, expires midnight end of 7th)
Greater Mage Armor (Menelvagor, expires midnight end of 7th)
Greater Mage Armor (Kamist, expires midnight end of 7th)
Divine Ward (Alobron, storn, Tyree, expires highsun 8th)

On the morning of the 5th the Heroes used a portable hole and teleported back to Waterdeep. Here they spent the day shopping, resting, meeting, researching and in Tyree's case, carousing.
While in Waterdeep, Menelvagor conducted some important research which he summarized to the others as follows:

Genies of Ancient Calimshan
Circa –7,800 DR, a large force of Djen (Wind Dukes, effectively noble Djinn) arrived in the areas around present-day Calimport, led by the Djinni Lord Calim. The Djen spoke Vaati, the base language from which Auran and Alzhedo are derived. (Anyone speaking either Auran or Alzhedo can attempt Decipher Script checks for Vaati inscriptions.) Although not concerned with bringing “Law” to the Realms, the Wind Dukes of Calim sought to subjugate all forms of elemental magic to their will, proving the supremacy of elemental air and their goddess Akadi. Intent on colonizing a “barbaric” world rich in resources both magical and mundane, the Djen commanded a host of lesser Djinn, Jann, Marids, Genasi, enslaved Humans (ancestors of today’s Calishites), enslaved Hin (ancestors of the Sword Coast’s halfling population), and a handful of marids.

After their arrival, the Djen and their servants began clearing and seizing all the lands south of the Marching Mountains, which they claimed as the Calim Empire. At its peak, the Calim Empire encompassed all of modern day Calimshan, except for lands along the River Memnon. Initial conflicts with the Proud Peoples (elves and dwarves) ended in truce, and the Djen drove the dragons and giants out of the Marching Mountains. The alliance of djinn and marids collapsed, leading a series of battles known as the Steam Clashes and culminating in the destruction of the marid city of Ahjuutal.

Circa –6,800 DR, almost a thousand years to the day after the arrival of the Djen, a great horde of efreet called the Army of Fire (or Army of Chaos), led by the great pasha Memnon in service to Kossuth, emerged through a heretofore unknown portal just north of the River Agis (now known as the River Memnon). While the Djen prepared for the inevitable conflict to come, the efreet establish the realm of Memnonnar and found the settlements of Memnon, Myratma, and Shoonach.

In –6,500 DR, 200 years of skirmishing erupted into open warfare, beginning the Era of Skyfire. Over the next four centuries, Memnon and Calim brought their forces to bear against each other in 22 cataclysmic battles, culminating in the Battle of Teshyllal Fields (also called the Battle of Pesh). This last battle between the genie empires was ended by elven High Magic, which bound the endlessly warring genie lords and many of their most powerful followers into a single gem, now known as the Calimemnon Crystal, and transformed the Teshyllal Fields into the Calim Desert.

Icosiol’s Tomb
Icosiol was one of Calim’s greatest generals. The legendary Djen died during the Battle of Teshyllal Fields after employing his liege’s fabled Scepter of Calim to shatter a newly created portal through which Memnon was expecting reinforcements. Having escaped imprisonment in the Calimemnon Crystal through death, Icosiol’s corpse was one of the few sets of remains of the leading genies to be interred after the battle. His tomb was constructed by the surviving genies who clung to power for some four decades after the Battle of Teshyllal Fields. Icosiol’s Tomb lies hundreds of miles south of the Whispering Cairn, deep below the Calim Desert.

Tomb Traps
Though the tomb is rumored to be located deep below the Calim Desert, Icosiol’s tomb is said to be guarded by numerous traps and guardians placed to stop even the most determined tomb raider. Some of the traps may be triggered by the presence of non-lawful entities who merely come in close proximity to the traps. In other areas of the tomb, code words that are buried in Vaati scripts and riddles may be used to unlock doors and disable traps. Icosiols tomb is said to be guarded by a very dangerous trap that may only be disabled by solving a very complex riddle that involves a Djen lesson on concentration and reciting three Vaati words in the precise order.

Treasures of Icosiol
The Tomb of Icosiol is said to contain four prized treasures that would fetch a great price to collectors or power hungry patrons:

- Lightning Sword
- Ring of the Djen (or the Ring of the Wind Dukes)
- Mosaic of Icosiel ( or Seal of Law)
- Sword of Teshyllal ( or the Sword of Aaqa),
- Piece of the Shattered Scepter of Calim, formerly known as the Scepter of Calim (or Rod of Law). The Scepter of Calim was a symbol of Calim’s sovereignty in the lands of the Calim Empire until it was shattered by the Elven High Mages of Keltormir.

The White Kingdom
The existence of the city of true ghouls is whispered of only in the highest councils of Guallidurth, the Temple City of Lolth that lies deep beneath the Calim Desert. The White Kingdom lies in the Lowerdark, hidden deep beneath the Lake of Radiant Mists. (See Underdark, page 173.)

Kyuss
After the collapse of the Yuan-ti empire of Mhairshaulk, the Yuan-ti and their distant cousins, the Couatls, battled for control of the Chultan Peninsula. Around the time of Netheril’s founding, the Couatl population declined precipitously, and they sought another race to keep the Western end of the Chultan Peninsula free of Yuan-ti influence. Eventually the Couatl settled on the human tribes of a distant continent to the southwest and preached to them the teachings of Ubtao. Those tribes who accepted Ubtao’s message (the most prominent of which were the Eshowe, the Tabaxi, and the Thinguth) followed the winged serpents in a great pilgrimage across the seas to the Jungle of Chult in –2,809 DR. The tribes landed on the Wild Coast and marched inland to the Peaks of Flame, where the avatar of Ubtao welcomed them. After all but a handful of the winged serpents then withdrew from southwestern Faerûn, the Father of Chult founded the great city of Mezro in –2,637 DR and dwelt there for a time among the Tabaxi, the greatest of the tribes, while the other tribes scattered throughout the jungles.

In the Year of Reverent Threnody (–653 DR), a Tabaxi named Kyuss and his followers fled Mezro for the Chultengar, a dark region on the eastern border of the Jungle of Chult. There Kyuss founded the city of Kuluth-Mar, based upon the worship of a six-armed god of death named Jergal. After his followers found the plates that spoke of the Age of Worms, Kyuss received the Spellweaver Lich who gave him the gift of a single green worm and built the Spire of Long Shadows.

Later at around midnight at the end of the 6th, the heroes al met up at the Crooked House Inn.
After a night of rest, the Heroes left Waterdeep and teleported back to Diamond Lake. In Diamond Lake they had meetings, purchased the guild house and obtained the deed, and plotted their next move. The next morning after regaining their spells, Menelvagor teleported the Heroes back to the Icosiol's Tomb deep below the Calim Desert (with the help of the portable hole).

At the tomb, the Heroes stood before two massive doors and Menelvagor used magic to decipher the script which was a riddle:

"Dare not enter this tomb less you bare true witness __-__-__"
- Within a lonely chamber lies our General who gave his life to close the gate who died to save our way of life.
- Even he honored the one whose name, we whisper in sadness, who so long ago left our place and first tasted the air of this primitive sphere so that we could have the resources we needed to survive.
- His great sacrifice set to him by our Great Lady of the Winds who we pray to more than any other.

Menelvagor and the Heroes figured out that based on Menelvagor's research in the Font of Knowledge in Waterdeep that the riddle's answer was three words to be said in succession. Egwaine attempted to say the words but mispronounced the last word and was hit with a deadly bolt of disintegration. Luckily, she survived as it was not her time. Even more impressive was that she summoned the courage to give it a second try with the full knowledge of making a second mistake could spell doom for her. She was successful with the worlds, "Icosiol - Calim - Akadi."

The massive doors buckled and then gently, as if floating on air opened revealing a strange sight ahead:

The Rising Path
This chamber contains seven stone columns, each slightly taller than the next, rising slowly from the entrance to a small platform at the far end of the room before a second set of enormous doors. No floor is visible-in its place is a deep pit filled at a depth of eighty feet with glowing blue fog. Swirling patterns of wind and lightning dance and howl along the walls and ceiling of the chamber, filling the room with a tumultuous roar.

Each of the seven columns appears slightly different. The closest column's top is level with the ground you all are standing on at the entrance to the room.. The next column is 2' feet higher. The third column rises up to the ceiling 40' above. The forth column is 3' feet higher than the second one, but rotates slowly in place. The fifth column's upper surface seems to be covered in a thick layer of what looks like black tar, and is about 1' taller than the last. The sixth column is 2' feet higher than the previous one but is made of a lighter colored stone. A larger column, nearly twice the diameter of the others, stands to the left of the main row.

Is this finally the true Tomb of Icosiol? Will Menelvagor finally demonstrate Elven High Magic? Will Rumple get his hands on some of these treasures Menelvagor discovered? Will Tyree survive the Session? and Will Kamist ever accept his past? For the answers to these questions and more, tune in to the next session of the Age of Worms.

Session 46 - Djinn Wind Dukes...Again

5th Nightal, 1371 DR, morning

(The Year of the Unstrung Harp)

Deep below the Calim Desert, south in distant Calimshan

-damp (red spray), cold, and breezy

Injury Report

Alobron -minor injury (-7 hp)

Tyree -minor injury (-2 hp)

Spell Report (used)

Kamist - 1-zero, 1-1st, 4-2nd, 3-3rd, 3-4th, 3-5th

Alobron - 0-zero, 1-1st, 2-2nd, 2-3rd, 0-4th

Egwaine - 1-zero, 1-1st, 2-2nd, 5-3rd, 3-4th, 5-5th, 1-6th

Menelvagor - 2-zero, 2-1st, 2-2nd, 4-3rd, 2-4th, 3-5th, 2-6th

Perched above the cavernous abyss consuming the blood red river, the Heroes debated the ethics of removing items from the tomb for use in the coming anticipated cataclysmic battle between good and evil and law and chaos. Kamist argued that the Djinn Wind Dukes were long dead (*cough* maybe not) and that any magic found below in the tomb of Icosiol could be used to drive off the servants of Kyuss and prevent the Age of Worms. He argued with Egwaine, who bound by the dogma of Kelemvor, found disturbing the grave and burial tomb of a long dead soul sacrilege and forbidden. Kamist finally convinced her and drove home the argument by asking the question, "Are you saying that the traditions of a dead civilization are more important than the lives of millions".

While the argument concluded, the Heroes observed Storn measuring the speed of the river by sailing a small wooden boat and measuring how long it took for the boat to pass a known distance, thus determining the speed. After some other calculations Storn produced a small mechanical device and determined direction as compared to the cardinal directions on a small compass (thus determining direction and now velocity, a vector, containing both the magnitude, or speed, and direction). A few calculations later Storn estimated his location on a map of known underground tunnels. With a smug look of success and not saying anything Storn stoically returned the map to his backpack and lumbered up the rock side to the Heroes (Storn has recorded this source of Stornium for future exploitation).

Tyree had an epiphany and seems to notice how attractive Egwaine is when she is arguing and began to treat her like a lady. He tried to gain the attention of the others for a story but the argument drowned out any attempt at the point he was trying to make.

After some magical casting the Heroes devised a method to fly down while carrying other Heroes on their backs. Though clumsy, this method of vertical travel was much more logical than attempting to scale the slippery cavern. Down and down the Heroes descended:

-The First Narrows/Ledge

-The Lake/Beach/Wind Duke Attack/Ledge

-The Basin/Beach/Red Hide Vicejaw Crocodile/Ledge

-The Cascade/ Wind Duke Second Attack/Cave/Secret Passage

Will the Heroes ever find the true Tomb of Icosiol? and What magic will be found awaiting the clutches of Rumple in his quest for ancient powerful artifacts in service to the Seekers of Waterdeep? Will Tyree attract the attention of Egwaine with his Uthgardt panache. And will Menelvagor ever figure out exactly how these seemingly independent lines of plot intersect? For the answers to these questions and more, tune in to the next session of the Age of Worms.

Session 45 - The River of Blood

5th of Nightal, 1371 DR
dawn
Deep below the Calim Desert, within a Djinn Tomb of Icosiol
breezy and cool

Injury Report
None - all healed

Spell Report (USED):
Egwaine 1-zero, 1-1st, 0-2nd, 4-3rd, 2-4th, 1-5th, 1-6th
Menelvagor 1-zero, 2-1st, 1-2nd, 1-3rd, 2-4th, 0-5th, 1-6th
Alobron 0-zero, 1-1st, 1-2nd, 1-3rd, 0-4th
Kamist 1-zero, 1-1st, 3-2nd, 1-3rd, 3-4th, 0-5th

After a relatively peaceful night's rest the Heroes continued to explore the tomb of Icosiol. During the night Rumple engaged in peaceful conversation with the Shade Shadow Spider, FlyCatcher. The creature, with eight glowing eyes, asked if Rumple would retrieve an item that was stolen from the tomb in the southern antechamber protected by FlyCatcher. Rumple was told that an expedition from deep below in the Underdark had come and stolen the Mosaic of Icosiol. FlyCatcher indicated that this undead expedition was flying the banner of the White Kingdom and that the leader identified himself as Moreto and was accompanied by a number of other followers, all undead. Though Rumple initially refused the request, the offer from FlyCathcer was to teach Rumple the art of Shadow Walk in exchange for the return of the item to its rightful place. Though this request seemed noble enough, Rumple and the others are distrustful of FlyCather as he nearly killed Kamist already and is a hideous monster as well.

At nights end, Tyree woke everyone almost two hours before dawn, which was somewhat of a surprise. Nonetheless, all were fully rested except for Tyree who pulled a 4 hour shift right in the middle of the rest period.

After a long Heroes' Feast and a lengthy debate about the best strategy to follow, the Heroes set out over the cavern where the Blood River ran into the plunging abyss. There on the opposite side were ancient steps leading into what appeared to be an ancient tomb. Some Heroes utilized Dimension Door to cross, while Tyree climbed (safely) to the other side. Just inside the Tomb,a hiding mechanical creature guardian triggered a portcullis and trapped Rumple and Alobron within the chamber and proceeded to fire deadly eyebolts at them. The battle was quick as Menel used Elven High Magic to teleport himself, Storn, and Tyree inside to finish the mechanical creature.

Later the Heroes were attacked by very large Ice Golem Guardians and later by very dangerous looking blood-based creatures. Menel called them Blood Anmniotes:

During the fight Menel summoned a Fire Giant using Elven High Magic, but this was destroyed by a swirling elemental ice swirl that appeared to be the remains of an ancient ice elemental buried within a sub-tomb. The Heroes also found an empty tomb with a life-like mosaic that seemed to mirror the passing of time complete with a sun and moon. A peaceful chamber that was inviting and deemed a safe place to rest if need be.

Will the Heroes ever find the true Tomb of Icosiol? and What magic will be found awaiting the clutches of Rumple in his quest for ancient powerful artifacts in service to the Seekers of Waterdeep? and Will Tyree survive the dangerous traps riddled throughout this tomb designed to thwart tomb raiders? For the answers to these questions and more, tune in to the next session of the Age of Worms.

Session 44 - I'll Xorn You...Tyree

4th Nightall 1371 DR
late afternoon
Deep within the Tomb Of Icosiol the Djinn WindDuke
windy, cool, tomb environment

Injury Report:
Storn - slight injury (-8hp), Tyree - light injury (-14hp)

Spell Report (USED):
Egwaine 1-1st, 3-2nd, 5-3rd, 3-4th, 1-6th
Menelvagor 1-1st, 2-3rd, 1-4th, 2-6th
Alobron 1-1st, 3 pearls of power, 2-2nd, 2-3rd
Kamist 4-zero, 7-2nd, 2-3rd, 1-4th, 2-5th

Tomb Entrance

The Heroes pressed on deep within the Tomb of the Djinn WindDuke. After leaving Nadim, the Guardian Djinn Outsider, behind the Heroes encountered a dangerous Elder Black Pudding that drove the Heroes deeper into the ancient tomb. The Party was only saved by the quick thinking of Kamist and a clever use of a Wall of Force spell. Menelvagor seemed very distracted and distant as he focused on the intricate reliefs covering the walls and doors as if he was not all there. Using his dimension door ability he did seem to pass directly through a large Shadow Spider hiding near by in the realm of shadows waiting for his moment to strike.

Deeper within the tomb, the Heroes found a large chamber covered in shadowy thick spider webs and numerous columns that cast eerie shadows throughout the room exacerbated by the Heroes numerous light sources. Here, the Heroes bypassed one room and found a room atop a set of stairs. The room at the top of the stairs radiated much magic absent in three places exactly where large figures were carved on the wall. The Heroes left this room alone and moved to the north and found a huge river of what appeared to be blood spanned by a crumbling bridge.

At this location, Tyree sprung (literally) into action and jumped the great 20' width fast moving river. At the opposite end Tyree encountered a monster known as Xorn, who unbeknownst to Tyree, was a merchant that attempted to communicate with Tyree. Of course Tyree immediately attacked and nearly slayed the ancient trader. At this, a group of Xorns, including a really big Xorn, emerged from around Tyree from the sandy beach and attacked and dropped Tyree. After eating his magical +1 steel shield, they spared Tyree death when it was explained that Tyree was confused and thought he was being attacked. The Xorns were reasonable and then offered to sell buckets of the sifted and reduced red mineral from the river for a price of 20,000gp per bucket. (Yes the Heroes did empty their portable hole and filled it with the red stuff...yuck)

The Heroes recovered Tyree's limp body, healed him, and moved back to the magical room where they found a doorway leading to the south. Here Rumple opened the locked door and the Heroes found Allustan trapped in a complex lightning trap. Rumple was able to render the massive room trap save with an entire spool of cooper wire and an iron spike driven into the wall to act as a ground. Rumple has proven very valuable in this trap ridden tomb.

After rescuing Allustan the Heroes paused for a short time to speak with him. Allustan was extremely disturbed about the news regarding the destruction of the town (thanks Tyree) and wanted to immediately teleport back to his home to check on his gnome servant and apprentice Mezalous. As a caution to guard against the Black Dragon, Allustan instructed the Heroes to meet him in the town of Longsaddle at the Inn called the All Seeing Eye. He wants to introduce the Heroes to his Wizard Master Manzorian when they are finihsed exploring the tomb. He provided Menelvagor with a scroll of teleport to assist in returning the Heroes to their Guild House. The Heroes learned the following facts from Allusatn:

Allustan was attacked by a Huge Black Dragon that was hells bent on killing him blaming him for the destruction of his plans and his children.

Allustan had been investigating the Whispering Cairn and had excavated a portion covered in a cave-in and uncovered the Black Gate. He explained that in desperation he jumped into the portal to escape the Black Dragon's dangerous acid. He tricked the gate Guardian by using a symbol of the Djinn Wind Dukes...Allustan opines this guardian was a lost soul trapped in the gate by some calamity or melancholy magical disaster.

The Tomb is a monument to the great Djinn Wind Duke General Icosiol who was the greatest general of the Wind Dukes and one of the so-called seven Wandering Wind Dukes that forged a great weapon known as the Scepter of Calim that was used to defeat the Efreeti General Memnonar. The battle shattered the Scepter into seven parts.

Allustan asks that the Heroes explore the Tomb, which Allustan believes descends deep, deep, below into numerous levels and layers. Allustan explains that the Wind Dukes often buried powerful magical items in their tombs and perhaps one of these items could be a weapon to use against the scourge ravaging the land.

Allustan is shocked to hear of the death of Eligos and reminds the Heroes that they were students together of Manzorian. After taking Eligos' notes, letter, and items, Allustan teleports away.

Later the Heroes encounter another large mechanical trap that utilizes the power of the rushing blood river. It almost gets Tyree but he escapes by the skin of his teeth (again).

The Heroes are battered and low on spells. Some have discussed resting before venturing on.

Will the Heroes find the true Tomb of Icosiol one of the seven Wandering Djinn Wind Dukes? What powerful and wondrous magical items await the clutches of the Heroes? Will Tyree survive the dangerous traps riddled throughout this tomb designed to thwart tomb raiders? For the answers to these questions and more, tune in next session of the Age of Worms.

Session 43 - Within the Tomb of a Wind Duke

4th Nightal 1371 DR
afternoon
Past the Black Gate, deep below somewhere (maybe far)
smoky windy cool air


The Heroes collected themselves after a the battle with the Black Dragon and the discovery of the Black Gate. Though Menelvagor believes he can teleport back with some rest and a bit of research, the Heroes are not quite sure where exactly they are. Nonetheless it is pretty clear that Allustan came this way.

After battling Guardian Belkers and defeating them, the Heroes encountered a number of traps obviously designed to halt vile tomb raiders. There were big spikey traps, big shooting traps, big giant falling block traps, big falling column traps, and some sonic bombing traps that went off when stepped on. Rumple proved very valuable in this environment of this horrific trap filled tomb reminding more than one of the Heroes of childhood stories about the legendary Tomb of Horror discussed in hushed voices around quite campsite fires.

In the chaos of one specific trap, in which the Heroes were separated and Menelvagor was trapped under a huge block, a very large spidery insect like creature attacked and tried to carry away one of the Heroes. After a lucky stab from Alobron and some spells the Heroes managed to drive the phasing creature off.

Deeper within the tomb, the Heroes discovered a guardian Djinn Marid Guardian called Nadim yer Bluefin, who initially accosted the Heroes in a tongue vaguely similar to Alhezado (the Calashite tongue). After switching to common, Nadim made some form of a deal with the Heroes after they bribed him.

The Heroes now stand in a windy corridor obviously filled with traps and distant horrific sounds of rushing wind intermixed with what could only be described as spooky howls and screams...caused perhaps by the swirling winds.

Good Luck.

Session 42 - Against the Dragon

4th Nightal 1371 DR
highsun
Past the Black Gate found at the Whispering Cairn
smoky windy cool air

After an interesting night of the 3rd with an encounter (enough said about that), the heroes are well fed by Egwaine who calls upon her divine powers to summon a Heroes Feast. Jasper takes direction from Kamist to include replacing all the stores in the Guild House save for the wine and ale in the large casks in the cellar. Tyree paid for the costs of this precaution.

The trip to the Whispering Cairn is uneventful until the the Heroes approach the ancient tomb. With the warning from Tyree's armor all know that the Dragon must be near. After searching a ghastly black putrid pond the Heroes were attacked by three Lizard Spawn of Kyuss and one large Kyuss Spawn Walking Crocadile. After a short fight the Heroes dispatched them but not before having to burn off worms from their flesh. Menelvagor nearly lost his clothing as it was damaged by fire, but still barely usable.

Menelvagor recognized some of the ruins around that Cairn as Djinn ruins and related what history he knew of them:

The crafters of these ruins were Djinn and from the Auran markings they described an ancient battle between the Wind Dukes of Calim (Djinn Generals who represented the forces of Law) and ancient Efreeti foes under command of Memnonar in service to the elemental god of fire, Kossuth (representing the forces of Chaos). Menelvagor related the long winded details about the Age of Skyfire (which was also referred to by some as the Battle or War of Pesh) that ended thousands of years ago in the destruction of both Djinn led and Efreet led empires and the creation of what is now known as the Calim Desert...He adds that the Calshite are ancient relatives of these ancient beings and points to the distinct markings and how they resemble modern day Alhezdo Calashite text. The actual language is known as Vaati and died off thousands of years ago.

Menelvagor goes on to discuss the Scepter of Calim (Scepter of Law) and how it was a symbol of the Djinn's sovereignty in the lands south of what is now the river Agis (or more commonely know as the River Memnon) until it was shattered by elven High Mages of Keltormir. Menel indicates that this Scepter is now referred to as the Shattered Scepter of Calim and had allegedly been shattered and hidden throughout the land to protect the pieces... Menel finished his story by reporting that the Djinn buried their dead in the cold, harsh, unclaimed wild lands of the north, far beyond the reach of Memnonar's tomb raiding legions. Menel opines that this Whispering Cairn may in fact, by the markings, be an ancient Wind Duike Tomb.

Then Tyree's armor began glowing again and he found the invisible female Black Dragon, or better she found him and blasted him with a line of acid. Luckily the Heroes were prepared for such an attack and the fight was on. The dragon seemed evenly matched with the Heroes but due to the Heroes shrewd defensive planning they eventually gained the upper hand and drove the Black Dragon off. Highlights included Tyree being bitten and tossed about like a rag doll, Rumple shooting off one of the creatures horns and recovering an engagement ring from Morgan Hizari destined for Suzanna, and Storn heaving his mighty blade deep onto the creatures abdomen (oh no...she has the stornian blade lodge in her belly...and is flying away).

As the beast fled all could feel deep in their insides that she would be back someday soon to try and slay the Heroes again. More than one recalled the human bones in her lair in the Stump Bog and how they were gnashed and crunched up as if....(you get the idea).

The Heroes then entered the Whispering Cairn and soon discovered that Allustan had been busy excavating the buried section and had exposed some sort of black liquid mirror. Here Menelvagor worked on the ruins and discovered that it was some form of ancient Djinn portal leading to parts unknown.

Tyree was the first to enter prior to being healed and found himself in a crushing thick black liquid. Alone in time and space he struggled and found that he was without his DEX bonus for AC and could not wield his Bastard Sword. Then he was attacked by what others later intimated that must have been an Abyssal Ghoul...Very Dangerous; luckily he had a hand axe that he utilized with stunning accuracy at about the same skill as his Bastard Sword. The battle was pitched and he was alone in space in time...but in the end, Tyree prevailed alone against the vile and dangerous creature. The battle seemed to last an eternity though it was merely 2 minutes and 54 seconds in length ( a long time to be in melee combat).

Eventually Tyree emerged in a sharply sloped hallway filled with rushing screaming wind and smoke. Small hallow projections in the hallway seemed to be making the noise, but it was obvious that the air inside was being pushed out at an unusual rate. Due to the noise Tyree found it hard to hear and speak and barely noticed the other Heroes as they entered the room directly behind him.