17th: Vault of the Iron Overlord:
-Obryn-Keen-Calost-Vander-Captain Dayd (NPC)-
                 For some time Obryn had been researching a method by which to magical age his pet dragon. His research had now turned up a number of options including searching out an undead dragon of ancient lore. The more attractive option was to find a magic item called the Eye of Mythus that purportedly was still in Ptolus. The last recorded possessor of the Eye was the Noble house Shever. The party was familiar with House Shever because it was famously the Noble house of technology. They even had a magical flying vessel that could often be seen looming above the city. Obryn met with Thallos Shever, the elder and current Lord of House Shever. Obryn was well received, as Thallos was aware of how the party had helped the city. After listening to Obryn Thallos explained that the Eye was sealed inside the Houses Vault. He went on to explained the bizarre story on how this vault came to be. It seemed the last Lord had spent all the fortunes of the House to build a massive vault. The vault would serve as both a bank and also a testing ground for his heir. Though as the Vault neared completion the Lord was seemingly becoming more and more insane. The day the vault was completed the Lord was found butchered and slain, his heart ripped from his body. Since that time the house members could not enter the Vault or those that did, did not live long. Often time’s sounds of building could be heard. Many believed that the constructs within the Vault still maintained and were even expanding it. Two adventuring party’s had already entered the Vault and neither had returned. Thallos agreed to let the party enter to retrieve the Eye of Mythus.

            As the party explored the Vault they discovered the Vault consisted of 4 concentric rings. Each ring could move and only when moved into the proper position could one cross from one ring to the next. The entire vault was a massive combination lock. On the first ring the party battled A Gorgon, a Medusa, and some Girillions. Using secret triggers the party found ways to move the ring and eventually crossed into the second ring. Within the second ring the party battled Cloakers, an animated Dragon Desk, a Bearded Devil, and some Zombie animals. They also rescued one the surviving members of the last adventuring party. She had been trapped in a room where fresh food appeared magically every day. He name was Selena Rondshead a Bard (P. 22). She made a soul connection with Vander and he escorted her out. Just as before the party utilized second triggers to enter the next ring. On the third ring the party battled numerous Derros who served as the workmen for the vault. They also faced a Xorn and a Gibbering Mouther. This time the party had to piece together a code matching icons and colors to create the proper combination. They eventually succeeded at this and crossed into the core of the Vault. There they battled Gargoyles and the final incarnation of the Iron Overlord. The party had first encountered the Iron Overlord on the second Ring. He appeared as a massive construct. The party had destroyed that form only to find a second smaller construct body within. This smaller construct had teleported away.

           A second battle with the Overlord occurred on the third ring where again he was defeated. This time his final form was revealed inside the body of the second. Again he teleported away. Now outside the treasure room the party battled this final form. Through the party’s valor the Iron Overlord was finally destroyed. Within his frame lie a still beating human heart. Inside the vault the party found mostly empty chests but still a fair amount of treasure. A few thousand Gold, Four sets of expensive decorative Armor and Halberds, and the Scepter of Succession for House Shever. The party exited the vault. At this point both Captain Dayd and Keen had been slain. Keen having been slain by the second incarnation of the Iron Overlord. The party told Thallos everything and told him they were taking the treasure they found. At some point later the party received a letter saying that most of that treasure was of vast importance to the house and was not part of the deal. The party had no problem with this and everything was sorted out with the help of Mand Sheben. Keen was resurrected with the help of the Noble families influence and Obryn had gained the Eye of Mythus.
12/4/07-12/11/07-12/18/07-

Interlude: Obryn later learned that the Eye was essentially a mirror that could act like a crystal ball with the exception being that one could look into the past or even the future. The price was that every minute spent looking into the mirror cost the watcher one year of his life. On a separate note Nate Firegate had begun digging a tunnel for Obryn’s dragon in the basement when he had run into some obsidian stone. There was another structure beneath the bar. Obryn told Nate to dig it out. Additionally Nick Van Axe hired a half giant bouncer named Vic Allforce.

 

18th: The Demonskar Legacy:
-Obryn-Keen-Calost-Vander---Murdoch-
Things had taken a turn for the worse in Ptolus. The government had drastically raised taxes and the populous seemed to feel that the money was not being used on the city. Additionally the city had begun hiring half orcs to fill out the city guard. This had enraged many people. In response to this corruption Sam Champion had invoked his ancient noble lineage to challenge the captain of the guard. The party tried to find Sam but he was not around. They instead decided to attend a protest at city hall. The protest quickly went bad as a merchant named Maavu seemed to incite the crowd. Keen noticed members of the Last Laugh thieves’ guild manipulating events so as to make it turn violent. Before long there was a riot. The crowd began attacking guards and destroying buildings. Soon Breathdrinker (air elemental assassin) appeared and tried killing Maavu. Calost and Vander saved Maavu and then fled. Later that night two huge fire elementals appeared and destroyed a boarding house that had been boarding dozens of these new half orc guards. The party could do little to help but after some time finally stopped the elementals with the aid of Zarn the half orc and Brother Fabitor. The next morning local criers revealed that everyone who had rioted had been pardoned. Except for Maavu who was now sentenced to death for his actions. The party soon received a message from Maavu summoning them to the nearby town of Redgorge. Once in Redgorge the party learned of the Chisel. The Chisel it seemed was an organization of merchants and other figures concerned about the city. Among the members of the Chisel was a Bard Adventure known as the Honest Minstrel, Helmut Itleson, and the Foreman was a merchant named Oliron Mash. The members now felt the city government was corrupt and were secretly meeting in Red Gorge to discuss what to do. They had learned that the a force of Half Orc guards were soon to be sent to Red Gorge to search for them and they sought to avoid this by having Sam Champion repeal his challenge. Only problem was Sam was still missing. The party agreed to find him. The party returned to Ptolus and spoke with Sam’s friend Brother Fabitor. Fabitor told the party that for the last few months Sam had been operating in the Jungles west of Red Gorge. He had been bringing back Art objects and the like and selling them to Tygot. The party next went to Tygot who showed them all the items that Sam had recently brought back. The party found little of use there or at the library. They thought they would need a tracker so they went to the Adventurer’s guild and hired Alphax, Centaur Ranger. They returned to Red George and once again spoke with the Honest Minstrel. He showed them exactly where Sam had often set off down the river in search of treasure. The party rented a boat and headed down river. Only a few hours later did they find an abandoned row boat next a beheaded statue. At this point Alphax told them that the tracks were too old to track. He refunded most of the party’s money and split. The party adventured inland a few hours till they came upon a cave. Inside they found the corpse of an ogre. Vander recalled Sam telling a story of how he had battled an incredible old Ogre. The party seemed to be on the right path. The next morning the party was joined by Murdoch, a friend of Vander who had come seeking adventure. The party soon came upon the ancient ruins of a Spellweaver city. They transversed through the sewers eventually exiting into a massive rift known as The Demonskar. They entered a cave complex where they faced a squad of Ettin guards. The battle was soon joined by three Hags. The party managed to kill one of these Hags but not before the majority of the party was captured within a Forcecage. The Hags began gathering their forces which included two very powerful giants (Fire and Hill). The party could not stand up against these forces and thus they fled. Obryn was slain while Keen was captured. Calost regrouped the party and set back into to find their friends. They killed some Hill Giants and one of the Hags. The surviving Hag Surrendered and agreed to take the party to Keen. She led the party to a strange mirror where she immediately jumped through it. The party members followed. Once inside the party became trapped inside a strange mirror maze. Vander cast a spell of Message to contact Mand Scheben. The following day he did the same thing to contact Vin Van Tran. Vin Van Tran back in Ptouls received the message and tried to find Vida who had gone missing. He next went to Brother Fabitor who fronted the Gold to acquire a Scroll of Raise Dead. Vander and Brother Rufus set out with the guidance of a Centaur Tracker who had accompanied the party. They found their way to Obryn’s discarded body. Rufus performed the Raise Dead and then immediately left. Obryn having returned took rest in the sewers while Vin went looking for Keen. Vin found Keen held hostage under guard of Skeletal Spellweavers. He freed him essentially reforming some semblance of a party. These three soon found their way to the Magic Mirror. They found they could communicate with those trapped within. The party helped Vander interpret a Divination spell. They concluded that the key to escaping the maze had been hidden in some of the relics Sam Champion had brought back from these ruins. The relics the party had left at a shop back in Ptolus. The party needed those relics quick as Murdoch was starving to death inside the maze. A plan was made. Vander used his message spell to contact Tanner’s kinsman Hawkeye (A Falcon riding Brownie). Hawkeye flew back to Ptolus acquired the item and brought them to the party. Obryn decrypted the strange ruins and Calost figured out how to implement them. Calost exited the Maze but not into the location where the party had entered. Soon Murdoch and Vander followed. Vander sent another message back to the other party members. They negotiated the maze and the party was once again reunited. They now found themselves with a small complex in a strange realm. Sam Champion lay there on the floor sprouting madness. Sam had apparently been driven mad whilst in the maze. He now sprouted strange and meaningless gibberish. The party took him in tow as they went to explore their surroundings. Only moments later the Glabrezu Demon Nebitheron appeared proclaiming “This time of piece was at an end”. He began tearing through the party. Sam seemed to focus and joined the battle. The Demon seemed to focus his initial attacks at Sam. When Sam fell he began to tear through the party. All seemed lost but through perseverance the party changed the tide of battle forcing eventually for Nebitheron to flee. The Demon cursed Sam with some strange magic and then teleported away. The party ran to Sam’s aid to hear his final dying words. “There is naught for you in Ptolus, Heroes. To return is to enter your own graves and to bring doom upon all you love. Seek the sign of the Smoking Eye if you wish to save them all.” The party exited the chamber they were in to find a strange realm beyond. The skies were filled with flame and then ground itself seemed to live. The Umber Hulk People were now someplace very very far from Ptolus.
 -1-8-08-------1-15-08-------1-22-08-


19th: Test of the Smoking Eye
-Obryn-Calost-Keen-Murdoch-Vander-
The party had left Ptolus just as the city was facing social and political turmoil. They had set out to find their friend Sam Champion. They passed through an interplanar Mirror Maze into a strange realm in some distant unknown place. They saw Sam killed by the Demon Nebitheron and heard Sam’s final words. “Trust the Sign of the Smoking Eye”. The realm the party now found them in was a place called Occipitus. It had once been a region in Celestia but in a great battle it had fallen into the Abyss. Eventually it had been ripped away from the Abyss and now existed someplace else. The party entered the land only to be attacked by a group of Babau Demons. They defeated these creatures and as the battle was ending they received aid from a stranger. A half fiend traveler named Kaurophon appeared seeking the party’s aid. He told the party of the Test of the Smoking Eye and proclaimed that they were to take the test. The test had been arranged long ago and he who passed it would come to rule the realm. The realm had been ruled long ago by a Demon lord named Adimarchus but he had disappeared eons ago. Kaurophon also knew something of Ptolus. He said that much of the evil occurring there could be attributed to a secret cabal known as the Cagewrights. Eventually the traveler directed the party to travel across the land until they reached a Cathedral. There the Test would begin. For five days the party traveled facing many of the dangerous inhabitants of the realm. The place seemed overrun with all forms of Slaad. All seemingly attempting the same types of ruses. One Slaad did however infiltrate the party in the guise of a little girl. In the night the Slaad murdered Keen. The party also battled a Hezrou demon before eventually reaching the Cathedral. The Cathedral was something left from the days of Celestia. It was now in ruins but every for minutes for a few seconds it would revert to its former glory like some mystical flashback. The party entered the Cathedral and came under ambush from some Driders. They killed the Driders only to face a Succubus and a Noble Fire Salamander in the next room. Calost banished the Succubus while the party slaughtered the Salamander. The Party battled their way into the lower levels of the Cathedral. There they encountered a Mummy Lord who spoke the following “Adimarchus, Most potent Ruler of Occipitus, bids you welcome to the Test of the Smoking Eye. If you are here, then Occipitus lies fallow, without a strong hand to guide its development. Know then that you are a pretender to Adimarchus’s Throne. If you are worthy, step forward and under take the Test of Judgment”. The party proceeded to find they had a choice of facing one of two adversaries. One an angel, the other a demonic Bebelith. They easily chose the Bebelith who nearly killed the party as they attempted to transverse its lair. Beyond this lair the party found the Lantern of Guidance. The Mummy Lord explained this would hide them across the realm to continue The Test of the Smoking Eye. The party once again made a long overland trek before finally reaching the plain of Cysts. In the ground there seemed to be pods containing the bodies of fallen angels. The realm seemed to be absorbing these bodies ever so slowly. The lantern shown so as to lead the party through this area. The party did not know it yet but they were facing the Test of Resolve. If the party did not take the proper path they would be teleported back to the beginning. The presumed goal here was that the ruler of Occipitus need be determined and undistracted. Once the party completed this Test they teleported across the realm. The party’s guide Kaurophon arrived to also be teleported along with the party. The next step of the party’s journey had them heading for the center of the realm. This area was dominated by a massive Skull like structure. The party defeated a guardian Black Dragon before coming upon a trapped and tortured Astral Deva named Saureya. After freeing Saureya he warned them that a Fire Giant and a Rakhasa were also trying to complete the test. The party wasted no time and immediately began their pursuit. After transversing through an acid pool the party found themselves running down a hall that resembled an Esophagus. They soon came into combat with this Fire Giant and Rakhasa tandem. The battle was close but finally the giant fell. The Rahkasa escaped. After defeating a Clay Golem the party reached the final test. This final test was the Test of Sacrifice. The party would need to sacrifice an ally by throwing him into a massive pillar of fiery plasma. It was at this point that Kaurapon betrayed the party. It seemed he planned to sacrifice the party. This may have been his plan all along. Kauraphon revealed himself to be a deadly spell user. During the battle Murdoch was slain. The party battled on and were finally able to cut down this infidel. For a long time the party considered what to do next. Finally the remaining party members elected to draw straws to see who would sacrifice themselves. Calost lost and thus entered the flame. His body was burned to Oblivion but then it began to grow anew as though the fire was becoming him. When it ended Calost had returned as new Ruler of Occipitus. A title which left its mark as Calosts left eye was now a small flame. Along with this mantle came many new powers including complete awareness of everything and everyone in the realm. The party immediately teleported to the hag who had escaped them earlier. They killed her and reclaimed many of their items. Calost next took the party to a portal that exited back into a Glabrezu’s lair in the Demonskar. The party was immediately confronted by Nebitheron. Nebitheron acknowledged Calost the Lord of the Smoking Eye and let the party past. The party had past the Test of the Smoking Eye but the future seemed so uncertain.
-1-29-08---2-12-08-
Test of the Smoking Eye (A Shackled City Adventure –Dungeon-) By David Noonen
Interlude: On the return trip the party found that the town of Red Gorge had been raised and completely destroyed by the Half Orc Batallion of Ptolus’s guard. As soon as the party returned home they paid to have Murdoch and Keen resurrected. Brother Fabitor paid to have Sam Champion resurrected. Though after his return the party would not see Sam again for a long time. The party also heard news of the recent disappearance of Vida Blade. Though she was well known to be impulsive. As the weeks past Obryn finally completed his research and preparation to age his dragon. He set up a house to contain the creature and then utilized the mirror to age the dragon to a much larger size. Calost later would lead a group of Angels from Ptolus back into Occipitus to reclaim the bodies of their comrades.

Froderick’s Tomb: A Keen Solo Adventure:
-Keen-Vin Van Tran-Breya-
Keen was contacted by his good friend Kelf Understryer, wizard and sage. Kelf had done a great deal of research regarding Froderick the Uncanny. A legendary thief who was long since dead. It seemed Froderick had created many false tombs. Kelf had already found and explored two. Now he had found another and needed Keen to search out its secrets and found out if it could possible be the realm resting place of Froderick the Uncanny. Keen readily agreed to help and soon enlisted the aid of Vin Van Tran and his Barbarian Slave Breya. They wisely entered the Necropolis during the day. Keen and Vin hung out while Breya dug up the grave. They soon came across a passage below. Beyond was indeed another Tomb of Froderick the Uncanny. Inside Keen faced numerous murderous traps and even some creatures. The party defeated Clockwork Rats, A Watery Lasher, Mephits, and an Animated statue that they managed to lead into a pit trap. Keen took down a descent take from the small complex but in the end it was unsurprisingly revealed that this was yet another false Tomb of Froderick the Uncanny.
2-11-08-
Frodericks Tomb (Legends and Lairs Instant Adventure) by Mark L Chance.

Raven Mine: A Keen Solo Adventure
-Keen-Zylar (NPC)-Breya-
Keen found himself summoned by Linech who told him that someone important in his organization wanted to speak with him. Keen soon found himself down at the docks aboard a vessel called the BlackRock. The vessel clearly never left port and was most likely a den for rogues. Here Keen was put inside a water tight capsule. This capsule was then shuttled underwater by some barely seen fishmen. When Keen exited he was met by Hadrian. A powerful and darkly creeping figure who serves Menon Balcazar, Lord of the Balcazar crime family. Keen soon found himself meeting with the men himself. Balcazar explained first that very few ever meet him but he went on to explained what brought Keen to his attention. He explaijn3ed that when the party had rescued the kidnapped children from the Night of Dissolution sacrifice. One of those children had been his grandson. In return for this Menon had delivered the Surgeon in Shadows to them. Now Menon needed someone with special skills to perform a special service for him. But before Keen could be considered he would have to prove his skills. Balcazar had a challenge and was sending one of his men along to observe. Balacazar explained that some time ago he had come into possession of a Demon-possessed watch. He had sent the watch to many experts and sages for identification. One such sage was a wizard named Memnor. Memnor never returned the watch and two attempts to recover it through thievery had failed. Keen was tasked with recovering the watch. The following night Keen met up with his new contact from the Balcazar family. He was a Shadowborn Stalker Cleric Rogue named Sylar. He would aid Keen from this point forward. They traveled over to Dweomer Street where they infiltrated Memnor’s manor through a window. Keen quickly discovered that virtually every door was magically trapped. Not long after entering the party fought a long battle against a Flesh Golem. After a short time inside Keen uncovered a journal that explained the situation. It seemed Memnor was a very private and scared wizard who greatly loved his Raven Familiar whom he called Midnight. All Memnor wanted was to be left alone in his manor in total safety. To this end he had begun the greatest challenge of his life. The construction of a Shield Guardian to act as the Manor’s sentinel. This work soon became very tedious and Memnor reluctantly brought on an apprentice named Padwin. Padwin’s teaching was greatly resented and he soon grew to resent his master. He eventually killed his master with poison burying his body in the basement. Memnor had there after returned as a Ghostly Raven and had essentially bonded with his still living familiar. Master and familiar where now one. In the mean time Padwin had taken control of the Mansion. With this information the party recovered Memnor’s body from the basement. When this happened the Ghost of Memnor left his familiar and possessed Keen. In Keen’s body Memnor used an amulet to complete his Shield Guardian. The wizard had now completed his life’s work and was content. However the party had tripped an alarm that made Padwin aware of their intrusion. Padwin teleported back to mansion and began summoning monsters. Soon the party was facing two earth elementals, a Red Slaad, and the mad Apprentice. Padwin hammered the party with lightning bolts repeatedly. The Sheild Guardian joined the party’s side in the battle and with great perseverance the party slaughtered Padwin. Having recovered the watch the party disembarked. Upon returning this watch to Bacazar Keen learned what the man had in mind. Balcazar explained that two thieves guilds where growing stronger in the city. One was the Longfingers guild which was older then even the Balcazars but were now making a marked resurgence. The other was the very new but quickly growing Last Laugh thieves guild. These guilds were cutting into Balcazar’s actions. His solution was to have Keen, a growing persona of good standing in the city, form an anti-thieves guild to hunt down the guild thieves. This would seem righteous but in truth Keen would be aiding the Balcazars. Keen was eager to get started but Menon advised caution. He said to first build his organization. Then he would be sent after the Longfingers. For the short term the Last Laugh was off limits as Balcazar had yet to gage their full scope. Menon went on to say that Sylar whom Keen had been impressed with would be his right hand man in this endeavor. Sylar had knowledge and connections Keen would need. But Balcazar explained that Sylar was a treacherous bastard and that he would try to betray Keen. Taken this into account Balcazar wanted Keen to keep Sylar alive for at least a year. He said it was a lesson in the leadership of rogues that Keen needed to learn. Keen returned home and immediately elicited the services of Vin Van Tran who was all over the idea. Something new was on the horizon.
-2-22-08-
Raven Mine (A Legends & Lairs Instant adventure) by Greg Benage & Christian Peterson

20th: Queen of Lies
-Keen-Obryn-Vander-Murdoch-Kessel-Breya
The party received a letter from Mand Scheben asking them to investigate a recent attack at Emerald Hill. The party made haste and soon arrived in the beautiful Elvin neighborhood of Emerald Hill. They found that the Shrine of Celestan had been attacked and many were dead. During this investigation Murdoch antagonized a Lieutenant and was arrested. The party utilized speak with dead to learn that the attack had been conducted by Drow. Vander beat the streets and people for information and this lead to the discovery that the invaders had come up from the sewers. The party was ready to go right in but the one surviving priest recommended they speak to Doridean Mythlord. The party soon arrived at the Mythlord’s home. Everyone in the party had heard of Doradean, he was the most powerful and popular elf in the city. Doridean had some excellent information on the Drow and soon directed the PCs to meet with a woman who had recently escaped from a Drow Citadel in the Underdark. The party went to speak with this woman named Thensia. She explained that she had been captured and imprisoned in the Drow Citadel of Ul-Drakkon. The Citadel had been abandoned by the elves of Dreta Phantas for a very long time but just recently had become reoccupied. By House Vrama. House Vrama was being lead by Alevolenz who apparently rose to power very quickly. Beyond this Thesia knew very little but everything she knew she relayed to the party. The party made preparations and were soon descending into the Underdark. They avoid some encountered but eventually fell into a massive Drow ambush. The Ambush team consisted of over 40 members including Drow, Bugbears, and Lizard Cavalrs. In addition these forces were supplement by a powerful Drow Preistess and a Drow Wizard. The party fought for their lives and many Drow died in fiery evocations. The Drow spell casters wreaked havoc but eventually Murdoch got to them. In the end the party had won the day. They were no doubt nearing Ul-Drakkan. The party successfully negotiated the dangers of the Underdark. They avoided contact whenever possible. A few days after the ambush the party fell sick. The Drow had poisoned a lake that any party would have used to refill their canteens. Some of the party members became more sick then others but the mission proceeded. After about a weeks travel the party came to the outpost they had heard about. It was a very large cavern with a massive black tower suspended in midair by an array of webs. The party defeated another force of Drow this time supplemented with Driders. Some 8 hours later the party came to the entrance of the cavern that held the Citadel of Ul-Drakkan. The only problem was a massive guarded wall. The party quickly launched and assault. They were met with significant forces led by a powerful fire Giant. The party defeated these creatures then moved on to regard the cavern beyond. The cavern was massive, some thousand feet in diameter. Within it were three massive natural stone towers. The towers reached all the way from floor to ceiling. This was indeed the Citadel of Ul-Drakkan. The party used Stealth to explore the area. They killed some guards and rescued the slaves they had been sent to save. The party then took rest as Obryn teleported back to the surface with the main elf prisoners they had been sent to rescue. Back in Ptolus Obryn was met and aided by the powerful Elf Lord Doreadian Mythlord. The Mythlord provided him with a teleportation scroll so he could rejoin his party. The only problem was that the Teleport went off target. Obryn appeared some miles away from his intended area. He appeared literally in the middle of the Drow metropolis of Dreta Phantas. It would take him many hours to catch back up with the party. Meanwhile when Obryn did not return the party took the rest of the prisoners back the outpost they had encountered on the way down here. Some hours later Obryn rejoined his party there. They set up the prisoners at the outpost and set out once more toward Ul-Drakkan. Upon their return the party found the whole Citadel on alert. The used Dimension Door to sneak from behind. They entered the Citadel with stealth and proceeded to explore the complex. The used efficient tactics killing everyone they came across before they could set an alarm. This went on for hours. In one room Obryn contacted a Psionic communication device. This device was linked to a Zaug, a chaotic outsider of vast power. These Zaug lived deep in the Underdark and when Obryn touched the ball a Psionic mind link was established. Obryn and the Zaug saw into each other’s minds. Through this link Obryn learned much of the current situation in Ul-Drakkan. The Citadel lay just a few miles from the Drow City but it had been vacated for centuries. Only recently had it become active again when the Drow house Vrama took control of it. House Vrama had recently been taken over by a relative newcomer. A Cleric Sorcerer named Alevolenz. Alevolenz had been found the Zaug at a very young age. The Zaug had raised her and sent her back into the midst of the drow to dominate them. Alevolenz was doing well having already taken control of a powerful Drow House. Obryn broke the mental connection as it was causing him too much pain. The party continued exploring and killing until they came across a Drow Wizard named Ganthau. Gantau seemed to be on the party’s side and had been waiting for them. He did not agree with this new direction his house had been taken in. He did not like nor trust Alevolenz. He said she had taken the Citadel and was sending raids to the surface so as to provoke a new war with the surface dwellers. In the chaos that ensued she could continue her ascension. The party got some great information from Ganthau but after an obnoxious exchange with Kessel he teleported away. With this new information the party new exactly where Alevolenz and the missing artifacts were. The headed their at once. The party was momentarily slowed by a strange and powerful trap. It was a room filled with a web of light beams. Upon the beams sat metallic spiders. If any non-drow entered the chamber these spiders would swarm each exploding. The party cleverly bypassed this chamber and soon engaged their enemy. Alevolenz was in her chamber plotting away with her powerful lieutenants. The party snuck in invisibly and struck. The Drow responded almost immediately. Alevolenz however turned invisible. For the entire first part of the battle Alevolenz simply prepared herself with spells whilst the party dealt with her lieutenants. That endeavor was going fine until Kessel triggered a Summoning Trap which brought fourth a Gargantuan hunting spider. As was to be expected Keen was once again slain. This time at the hands of a Slay Living Spell. The party finished off all but one of the lieutenants (the last escaped) when Alevolenz came upon them. For virtually the entire battle Calost was busy dealing with the Spider. The party attacked Alevolenz with everything they had but she was simply too much. In addition to all her other powers she could cast both her Cleric and Sorcerer spells simultaneously. The party was falling fast. Breya was virtually incapacitated by a Greater Command Spell. Obryn was taken out by a Harm Magic Missile combo. Kessel hung around as long as he could but was making little progress. At last he did kill the Spider. This freed Calost up to bring all to bear against the Drow bitch. With a single fury filled Charge Calost cut Alevolenz down. Upon her fall the party found out how she was capable of dual spell casting. It seemed within her side was imbedded a mutated conjoined twin. In any event thye were both now dead. The party barley had time to enjoy this as reinforcements were coming. They searched who they could and fled to hide within a secret compartment. Among the magic items recovered was a Scroll of True Resurrection that Obryn used immediately to bring back Keen. The party took rest and considered their next move as they now needed to recover one more artifact. In the early hours of the following morning some of the party members snuck away and recovered this last relic. On this mission the party learned that the Drow were preparing an evacuation. It would seem the party was successful on every front. They had avenged the drow attack, recovered the artifacts, saved the prisoners, and dismember the drow citadel entirely.
-2-19-08- / -2-26-08- / -3-4-08 / 3-11-08
Queen of Lies (A Ptolus Adventure from Feiry Dragon) by Monte Cook


21st: The Shadow Eyes: (A South Market Adventure)
-Kessel-Obryn-Murdoch-Calost-Vander---Keen-Breya-
Murdock had just gotten back from Blackstock printing when the party received a summons for a mission. The message had an address that led to a dilapidated building in the South Market. Within this building the party found an establishment known as the Cockpit. The Cockpit was apparently an illegal gambling establishment complete with dozens of exotic games and even a fighting pit. They were soon greeted by the Cock Pit’s manager, a half orc named Naosh. Naosh explained that the vault had been robbed for 30000 GP and he wanted the party to recover it. If they did the party would receive one third of the gold as payment. When pressed he revealed that the Cock Pit was owned by the Lich Aggah Shan. Naosh wished to recover the gold before Shan discovered what had happened. He would not let the party see the vault but did say that GP taken from the vault would automatically be marked with a nitch through magic means. This made the gold the party was seeking unique and subject possibly to divination type magics. The party paid Brother Fabitor to help. He gave them a list of locations within the South Market that contained the missing Gold Pieces. An investigation ensued that took the party across the South Market. They visited establishments such as Donnel’s Leather Shop, Faraway Scents, The Golden Tooth (Gold Smith), Maran’s Odd Sizes (Clothing Store), Navian Bowcraft, and Ramoro’s Bakery. During this investigation the party was attacked numerous times by Astral Stalkers. Eventually they would learn that their enemy had put an Astal Tag on them. Fabitor was able to remove this. Through the investigation the party kept hearing about a man in black armor. This eventually turned out to be a low powered quasi adventure named Amin Void. The party befriended Amin who shared smoke with them and told them all he knew. Kessel did not believe him and pushed the idea to trap him in his home and interrogate him. The party did this only to find out he had told them the truth in the first place. In shame Murdoch paid the man 1,000 GP for his troubles. Eventually the party learned from one of the shopkeepers that the man who spent the gold was an Elf. During the exchange a women had said hello to this man. The party tracked this woman down at the Welcome Inn where she waitressed. She said she knew the man from when she nursed at The Madhgoth Asylum. The party went down to the Asylum where they met with the Asylum’s Beholder Curator. The Beholder explained that the man in question was still an inmate there. The party was shocked when they found the man to be Aelien Fardream, The Propieter of Blackstock Printing. Murdoch ran down to the Print and found Aelien there too. Soon the party had uncovered the mystery. It seemed the original Aelien Fardream had cloned himself multiple times. The first batch he put 6 clones into stasis. Later he made a second batch. Of the second batch only one survived. This clone was genderless and wholly evil. This clone would come to call itself the Shadow Eyes and indeed eventually killed the original Aelian. Sometime late the first batch of clone were hatched from stasis by an unexpected earthquake. They awoke and reopened the Printing press. The whole time the 6 clones pretended to be the one man. At some point one of them cloned him creating seven. Seven wondered out and got lost eventually being committed to the Asylum. After a period of mistrust the party came to good terms with the clones and they then explained that the culprit behind the robbery had to be The Shadow Eyes. During the investigation that followed Keen befriended the local Killraven Crime Boss. A man named Korben Trollone who often hung out at the Sword Throwers Club. Korben was able to tell Keen that Shadow Eyes’ laird in Rivergate. The party once again used a locate Object and were able to discover Shadow Eyes’ lair beneath a well. They tried to enter the complex but fell victim to two Prismatic Sprays that ruined the party. Vander was turned to stone while Murdoch was banished to another plane. The party was forced to flee. They next began to search for a way to find Murdoch. In this endeavor they learned that no planar exodus was possible out of the World of Priemal. Apparently this was prevented by something called The Seven Chains. As a result any banishment resulted in the victim being transported to the Extra dimensional plane of Quaan, Home of the Pactlords. The party Scryed for Murdoch to learn his location and then used Planeshifts and Teleports to get him back. Sometime later word on the street came that Shadow Eyes had a new lair on Bleaker street. The party immediately knew this was a trap but decided to go anyway. Once inside the sewers the party fell siege to two Polluted Water Elementals and an Ember Guard. Shadow Eyes joined the battle shortly after. It was a deadly encounter that the part nearly did not survive. Murdoch was killed but so too was Shadow Eyes. “The Shadow Eyes” by Rob Gault relying heavily on Ptolus Material
-3-18-08—3-24-08


Interlude: Obryn continued to train in Dragon Riding as well as fully finishing the house he had gutted and customized for his Dragon. In addition he began to take sessions with Mahdgoth the Beholder. The beholder was helping Obryn with his Psionic abilities. He was teaching him to build a barrier around his mind. He then went to the next level trying to make it possible for Obryn to go into the minds of others. In exchange Obryn sometimes helped with the mad arcanists within the Asylum. Kessel had paid Nate Firegate to build an underground complex below his home. Next he was going to have two of his building destroyed and commissioned the construction of a mansion. The Knights of the Pale were growing very close to being able to make their strike against Aggah Shan.


22nd: Secrets of the Soul Pillars
-Obryn-Kessel-Murdoch-Keen-Breya-
The party was relaxing after a slow night of business at the bar. Nick Van Axe and Vic Allforce left early. Not long after a team of assassins arrived. They were a female Rogue/Cleric of Destor, a Human Sorcerer, and a Half Orc fighter Assassin. The assassins’ attack was ferocious and well though out. They employed tandem attacks and silence spells. They seemed to target the spellcasters first and they were here to kill. Obryn was slain first. Later Breya was killed. The female assassin was killed while the other two fled. The party managed to catch and kill the half orc but the Sorcerer escaped. A short time later a local drunk named Steve Magnets arrived looking for a drink. Kessel grossly misread the situation and attacked him. Even after it seemed pretty obvious that Steve was not an enemy Kessel brutally murdered him. The party hid the bodies down stares and slept there. The following morning Nick Van Axe and Vic Allforce showed up to find the bar all messed up. Upon seeing the dead bodies Vic said he had heard that The Temple of Death was having sales on all spells. The party was happy to hear this and went down there at once. Upon arriving the party was met by High Priest Ike Iverson who said it would take two hours to get ready. Meanwhile Kessel was back at the bar. He awoke the female assassin and began torturing her. He utilized the devices that of the Drow Brothel which existed in the basement. Eventually he got her to talk. She said they were assassins hired by The Temple of Death. It took Kessel a long time to realize what this meant but after about an hour of messing around he ran down to the Temple. Within the Temple Keen and Murdoch fell under attack by Ike Iverson, two Stone Giants, and six Gray Render Zombies. Ike’s destruction spell rebounded off Murdoch’s spell turning killing him instantly. This plus Keen’s quick thinking facilitated the party’s escape. Once outside Keen ran into Vic who he yelled out. He then ran into Kessel and told him what happened. Eventually Keen just disappeared entirely off the grid. Kessel met up with Murdoch who had called for the guards. The guards quarantined the church while they amassed reinforcements. When they did finally go in they found the place empty except for numerous piles of strange dust. Kessel late discovered this dust was the remains of Disintegrations. Additionally Kessel discovered evidence of a massive apparatus that had been removed from the temple. There was no trace of the dead party members. Murdoch took shelter at St. Valiens Cathedral of Lothian in The Temple District. Kessel hid out at the Death Guild. Though not entirely eliminated the party had been shattered by the will of an unknown enemy. The following day the remaining party members met up. They made a complete effort to drum up information about who was behind this. They considered going back into the Temple of Death for clues but found it under massive guard. They called in favor and visited with their old friend Mand Scheben who since the disappearance of the Commissar was running the city along with Helmut Itleson. The party asked if he could get them into the Temple. He told them that Helmut had ordered the church’s protection. It seemed too that Mand was quite fearful of Helmut. The party let this go and went about their investigation. Eventually they came to speak with the Beholder Asylum Master Mahdgoth. Mahdgoth was of little help with the information they desired but he did pick up some residual psionic residue in Kessel’s mind. He explored further to find that Kessel had come into contact with an item that was Psionically cloaked. That is that a psionic enchantment was on the item that would trick the mind of an onlooker to think that the item simply was not there. The item in question was located within the Temple of Death. Kessel had found evidence of a large machine. That construct was actually right in front of him. It was actually a massive twisted metal cage. The party researched this cage to great length and learned that it was something called a Soulcage and was probably the focus for a planar gating effect. To gain more information the party was going to need to get close to this soul cage. They took Murdoch’s friend Phazuk Planewise with them and Dimension Doored within the Temple of Death that was still under heavy guard. Inside they encountered a Truly Horrid Umber Hulk carrying a large invisible item. They defeated the massive beast but could simply not overcome the mind enchantment that protected the Soulcage. The party exited the Temple and found themselves at a loss. They pooled all their resources and traveled to St. Valien’s Cathedral of Lothian where they paid to have a True Resurrection performed on Obryn. Later Brother Fabitor let the party into Vander’s room where they found enough GP to have Vander True Resurrected. After leaving the church the party was confronted in the street by Zarik Dhor. Zarik was a half black dragon minataur progeny of the black dragon Dhorlot. A black dragon the party had killed or played a part in killing. Zarik had come for revenge but all he got instead was a beating. The party regrouped and returned to the Temple of Death. They saw it was about to be demolished. They dimension doored inside and pushed the Soulcage down a hole. The hole had been made the previous day by the Umber Hulk who had come for the Soulcage. The party stashed the cage in the sewer until they could get a scroll of Teleport Object. Then they teleported the item to the basement of the bar for inspection. Murdoch brought down the planar expert Phazuk. He was able to garner much information including the following. The Cage was a focus for a ritual to create a permanent portal to the outer plane of Tarterus. The Cage was forged by the Fire Giant Durgobas. And finally the Cage was somehow connected to the Soul Pillars of Karran-Kural. The party went down and purchased Scrolls of teleport. They teleported back to Vapraks Voice (A cave complex in the Demonskar where the party had first encountered Durgobras). Upon arriving Kessel spied they Fire Giant conversing with The Wandering Smith. However when the party approached the Wandering Smith was no longer there. Durgobras was amiable and helped the party as much as he could without feeling like he completely sold out his former employers. As it was the people who hired him to forge the Soulcages were an organization known as the Cagewrights. The party had heard about this group in the notes of Faux Aster. After a while Durgobras simply told the party he could give them no more information but that they might find more in the Ruins of Karran-Kural. The party next went to visit with Nebitheron, the Glabrezu who also laired in the Demonskar and guarded the portal to Occipitus. The Glabrezu did indeed know where the ruins were and agreed to teleport the party there. The party found the place to be an extremely cold and haunted place. Death and Cold magic permeating the entire complex. Research had told the party that the complex was build by Spellreavers and this was confirmed when the party found many of those strange creatures held in some kind of stasis. Soon the party came to a massive chamber with Ice Walls where they were ambushed by an Ice Devil. The creature battled the party to a standstill with both opting to retreat. After teleporting back home, regroup and teleporting back the party was able to defeat the devil. Back in Ptolus, Calost joined the Knights of the Pale for a raid against Aggha Shan. The Knights surprised the Lich but he escaped by teleporting away. Afterward Calost located Keen, Planeshifted back to Occipitus, exited the plane to find Nebitheron and had the Demon teleport them to the Ruins of Karran Kurral to rejoin the main party. Once reunited Keen and Obryn guarded the entrance while the rest of the party explored the ruins. The party escaped a battle against an Iron Golem to find entrance to the lower level. Once there they came across a Red Wizard studying a cluster of black ice. The wizard was angry at the interruption but almost immediately recognized the party. He told them the person they were seeking was named Vhalantru and that he could be found back in Ptolus. The man admitted to being a member of the Cagewrights and claimed that Vhalantru had served the Cagewrights. The party took this information and left at once. They utilized Occipitus and exited into the Demonskar. They traveled by land towards home. They killed a small group of Dire Apes before being attacked by Gottrod. They party had not seen the Red Dragon since last they traveled this way. Apparently Gottrod had not forgotten the party. The Dragon viscously attacked Kessel over and over. Eventually the party had to planeshift back to Occipitus to escape. They rested up there before setting out again. This time they traveled the rough mountain passes so as not to enter into Gottrod’s realm. They arrived back in Ptolus and began an extensive investigation into Vhlantru. It rendered little results. What they did come up with sounded more like rumor then fact. The Viridian Lords claimed that Vhlanatru was indeed in league with the Cagewrights and that he operated very secretly. Rumors in the underworld proclaimed a connection between Vhalantru and The Last Laugh Thieves Guild. Unfortunately the Last Laugh had disappeared a week prior. Finally the party had a willful private wizard named Carson the Chaotic (Forest Gnome Wizard) cast a Scrying spell. The spell failed because Vhalantru apparently has magical protections and in addition Vhalantru had detected the Scrying. The party continued the investigation with no results. They had however set into motion as many lookouts as possible. If Vhalantru or the Last Laugh popped up on the grid anywhere the party was likely to know about it. In the mean time they would had to live very carefully. A few months went bye as the party lived almost completely off the grid. Eventually the Knights of the Pale requested that Calost return to the ruins of Karran Kural to smite whatever other evil lurked there. Some of the party members joined him. The party explored the complex battling past a Demodand fiend and a Bone Naga before finally coming upon the master of the ruins. It was a Dracolich named Vitris Bale. The party fled immediately. They teleported back to Ptolus and made preparations. They returned fully prepared to battle the Dracolich and still they were almost slain. In the end the party’s preparation paid off and the Dracolich was defeated. Later the Knights of the Pale destroyed its Phylactery.
“Secrets of the Soul Pillars” by Jesse Decker –Dungeon Magazine-Shackled City-
-4-10-08 & 6-20-08---


23rd: Guildwar
-Obryn-Kessel-Keen-Ken-Vander
Some months had gone by as the party was getting together to discuss matters. Outside they heard a ruckus, It was all of the members of the Stonemasons versus all the metalworkers. Before long a full on Guildwar broke out. Dozens were injured And one person was killed. Later that day the owner of the Longdraught brewery summoned the party and requested that they act as mediator in this dispute. The party agreed and began this mediation down at the grand guildhall. They found the guilds to be unmanageable. It seemed that the guilds had been going back and fourth abducting each others members. So far each guild had lost 3 members this way. And no one knew if these missing mean were dead or alive. The party finally got them to agree to a three day truce so that the party could get to the bottom of the situation. Their investigation took them to various locales around the Guildsman District. After beating the streets for information they learned that the Shuul had also suffered an abduction. The party knew very little of the Shuul even though their massive Foundry was one of the largest structures in their district. What they did know was that the Shuul were technological experts and pioneers of Steamtech. After some negotiating the party got the Shuul to allow them to search the scene of the abduction. The only thing of interest the party found was a fragment of a gem. They headed down to Star Jewelers to have it looked into. The most senior jeweler on site was able to tell the party that this type of gem was often used in magical applications, specifically optics for golems. After leaving the Jewelers the party was summoned by The Brotherhood of Redemption. They arrived at the monastery and were met by one of the most senior monks. He explained that some of his monks had tracked an invisible creature through the streets the night the Shuul man went missing. Before the monk could finish this story the party would get a much better idea of what the monk was talking about. Without warning the doors of the Monastery burst open as two invisible Steel Predators attacked. The monks proved virtually useless against these creatures while the party struggled to penetrate the damage reduction of the constructs. These would lead the party to later obtain very expensive Adamantine weapons. After defeating the Predators the party had them examined. It seemed a rare metal was used to form the joints. The party next embarked a mission to track down this metal. After some investigation they learned that a great deal of this metal was used at the rebuilding of the Rivergate bridge. Though it seemed way too much of the material was ordered and thus ended up at the City Salvage Yard known as The Midden Heaps. The party went down to the Midden heaps and were first turned away. They called upon the services of their old friend Mand Scheben to gain them access. That night no one was scheduled to work and the party had room to work. They were at first ambushed by the Cyclops that worked the heaps as beasts of burden. Next they came under assault by Siege Golems. Eventually they found a secret entrance to a small hidden workshop. Within this workshop were all the men who had been abducted. They were being made to create constructs by a Ratman named Fenris. Fenris had been a former Shuul but was cast out of the organization and was now mad and bent on revenge. Fenris laid into the party with Dragon Pistols before retreating to his greatest achievement. A massive Slaughterstone Behemoth. An enormous construct of awe inspiring power. Fenris nearly killed the entire party but with clever tactics the party was finally able to defeat him. The following day the party returned the abducted men safely and prevented the Guildwar.
”Guildwar” a Rob G original inspired by Ptolus Material-
-6-3-08 & 6-10-08---


24th: Lords of Oblivion:
-Kessell-Obryn-Keen-Calost-Kenpachi-Vander-
The party was summoned by Meethan, An old dwarf (actually a disguised Half Elf) who heads the alliance of Viridian Lords opposing the Cagewrights. Meerthan needed the party’s aid. The Last Laugh’s Thieves guild who was now in league with the Cagewrights had kidnapped one of the Viridian Lords. An Elf named Fario whom the party had also befriended. Fario had been abducted whilst spying on House Rhiavadi. Using Meethan’s telepathic link with Fario the party located the Last Laugh’s Guildhouse beneath an abandoned inn called the Brass Trumpet. The party fought their way through the lair slaying dozens of thieves. Eventually the party slew the entire guild leadership including Jil, a female master thief who had eluded them many times before. Keen and Kenpachi were slain in the battle. After raising their friends and recovering Fario the party learned that much was afoot concerning House Rhiavadi. The party infiltrated House Rhiavadi finding many evil creatures within. Eventually they came to the door of a meeting room. From within they heard many voices having a discussion. The party recognized many of the voices as powerful Ptolus Villains. They were discussing how to kill the party. With little hesitation the party busted into the room engaging all these enemies at once. An all out chaotic battle ensued. Some of these villains were unfamiliar to the party and quickly fled. Velior Thazo, Half Demon Guildmaster of the Last Laugh escaped as did a random Teifling Sorcerer. The party killed the others that remained and most importantly they killed Lady Thifirane Rhiavadi. Whom they now recognized as the Sorceress whom served the Beholder Vhalantru. They also learned the location of Vhalantru’s estate in the noble’s district. The party infiltrated the estate battling dozens of horrible creatures. Eventually they came upon a wax museum room where the wax sculptures were actually the petrified remains of many of the cities adventurers whom had gone missing in recent months. Among them were Vin Van Tran and Vida Blade. The party rescued them and released them. They proceeded on and eventually came upon the Beholder Vhalantru just as he was completing a ritual to bond his essence with a fiend from the lower planes. No doubt a power provided him by the Cagewrights. Now standing before Vhalantru Obryn recognized his presence as that which had been watching him for some time. The battle was long and fierce. Obryn and Vander were slain. But in the end Vhalantru was defeated. Within his office the party located a magical suit which Vhalantru had used to take on the guise of Mand Scheben. For some time Vhalantru had been manipulated everyone in the city including the party. All that had now come to an end.
“Lords of Oblivion” by Christopher Perkins –Dungeon Magazine-Shackled City-
-6-17-08--7-8-08


Narrative Overview:
At this point in the campaign the party knows that a group called the Cagewrights has dark designs on the city. They had allied themselves with Vhalantru and through manipulation Vhalantru had created the guise of Mand Scheben and become Commisar of the City. The Cagewrights had also brought the Last Laugh’s Thieves Guild into the fold to gain control over the cities underworld. The party had during the course of the last week wiped all that control away.


The Return:
After a long hiatus the party returns. They awakened in Vhalantru’s lair. Apparently they had returned to his lair some time after defeating him. Presumably to search for treasure. The entire party fell victim to a magical ward that turned all of them to stone. A year passed before they were rescued. Among their rescuers were Sam Champion, Vida Blade, Brig Stoneheart, Murdoch, and Vin Van Tran. The party returned to the bar and Nick Van Axe threw them a home coming party. Many of the party’s old friends and contacts came to greet them. In their absence Sam Champion had handed the Mand Scheben suit over to the city. Since that time the city had failed to elect a new Commissar fearing any one man having too much power. Things had improved within the city. The party had completely wiped out the Cagewrights numerous power structures within the city. With Vhalantru out of power the city council had begun to set things right. However with the threat of the Cagewrights gone local crime had increased.
-02-19-2010-


25th: Black Rain:
-Kessel-Obryn-Keen-Breya-Vander-
Vander had received a secret warning from Brother Fabitor that a cosmic event known as the Black Rain was eminent. He disclosed this information to Obryn who further researched it. It seemed that ages past a divine incident occurred which left a lasting effect on the world. Once every few decades a rain would fall that would cut off all divine powers. Clerics and other divine users would lose their abilities for the duration of this magical storm. During Obryn’s research the rain had begun and shortly after someone came to warn the party that the Church of Lothian (St Gustav’s) was under siege. The party rushed down to find the church completely sealed within a magical force dome. It seemed impenetrable. The party asked around to discover that a man named Terrid Fomgarten had been seen entering the temple shortly before the sphere appeared. Vander recognized the name as a former priest who had been dismissed by the church. The party followed the trail back to Terrid’s home where they learned he had long conspired to get revenge on the church. He had used a Teleportation circle imbedded in a rug to gain entrance into the church after the force dome came up. Now he was exacting his revenge. The party used the same teleportation circle to get inside the force dome and then the temple. They battled past a Cryohydra and surpassed a wall of force to reach the main chamber. There they found Terrid abusing Brother Fabitor. The party engaged Terrid as a platoon of Blood Trolls came to defend him. Terrid was wielding twin rod artifacts of great power. The party managed to get Brother Fabitor on his feet and the Brother managed to change the tide of battle by acting as a healing battery. Eventually Vander killed Terrid but the Blood Trolls killed Fabitor. It took some time but eventually the party was victorious. Unfortunately the force dome could not be dismissed until the Artifact Rods were destroyed. This posed a bit of conundrum for Kessel who was seriously considering trying to wield the power of the rods. Eventually he came to agree with the church and other party members and led the efforts to have the Rods Destroyed. -02-19-2010-
Black Rain by Monte Cook


26th: Foundation of Flame:
-Obryn-Kessel-Keen-Vander-
The party was invited to a meeting of the city’s leadership. The discussion involved who would be named new Lord Commissar of Ptolus. There were many factions represented and many political agendas being pursued. The meeting was eventually interrupted as a group of Derro appeared. Their leader was a Sorcerer member of the Cagewrights. It seemed their intentions were to assassinate all the city’s leaders and the party. This attempt was thwarted by the party and some powerful members of the council. Some time later the party was visiting with Brother Fabitor when they heard screams. They ran to find that one whole portion of the city was essentially melting into lava. The entire Rivergate district was crumpling and above it storm clouds had gathered and a vortex was forming in the Sky. The party rushed to help evacuate the area. They dealt with rowdy crowds, marauding animals, and falling buildings. They took many heroic actions to save innocent lives. From the vortex above Demodands started appearing. The party would have to battle these fiends while at the same time continuing the evacuation. As the evil of the vortex spread it began to manifest other creatures. Soon the party was battling a Greater Fire Elemental. The influx of power even awoke something that had been asleep for eons. There had long been legends of a creature known as the Crater Lake Monster. A powerful creature that dwelt beneath the city’s waters. There creature proved to be more then myth as it awoke and began attacking boats in the river. The party battled the creature but were defeated. The terrible Morkoth continued to maraud. The party later regrouped and continued the critical evocation. Towards the end there was very little left standing of the Rivergate distinct. The party was taking out the last group of refugees. Then something unexpected occurred. The Red Dragon that laired near Ptolus had come to investigate this massive disturbance. The opportunistic creature began skowering the area for treasures. What it found was the party members. A dramatic battle ensued. The Red Dragon once again proved to have massive guile and coordinated attacks. It swallowed Obryn and pinned him in lava, slaying him. Eventually the party fought the creature off and the Dragon retreated. The remaining refugees were successfully evacuated.
-Foundation of Flame by Chris Thomasson-


27th Thirteen Cages:
-Obryn-Kessel-Keen-Vander-Calost-Breya (Cohort)-

The party came to consciousness to find themselves with Madgoth, The Beholder who runs the insane asylum, and friend to Obryn. The partys memories seemed splintered. Madgoth explained that only one day prior the party had evacuated the Rivergate district (the events of the prior module). During that period they battled the powerful Crator Lake Monster whom had been awakened by the volcanic activity. This creature had infected the party with a psionic virus that had effected them minds and memories. Madgoth had restored their minds but many of their memories would take some time to fully restore.

The party exited the asylum to find Sam Champion nervously awaiting them. He told the party to catch some rest as he was heading to the Rivergate district. In the days prior to this storm cloud had begun to amass above the Rivergate district and this was soon followed by the entire district being hit with earth quakes and finally starting to collapse into lava. The party had safely evacuated most of the district but the anomaly had continued. Now the cloud were a massive vortex or power seemingly being fed by the continually collapsing and magma erupting Rivergate district. Fiends had begun to rain down from the vortex at an increasing rate. The city had put all of its forces into combating these fiends but were becoming overrun. Now the city had opened its treasuries and called upon any and all adventurers and mercenaries to aid in dealing with the increasing invasion of fiends. Sam was heading there now and so would the party.

The party surveyed the situation and considered aiding but quickly though there must be some root cause to all and this and sought to investigate that. They traveled to Castle Shard and met with Lord Zavere. They gathered some information and continued to investigate. Eventually they met up with Meethan, the head of the Viridian Lords (Ranger organization that long suspected the Cagewrights of something sinister). Meethan explained this was the final goal of the Cagewrights being realized. They had begun their ritual of Planar Junctuon whereby they would create a permanent portal between Tarterus and the Prime. They suspected the ritual was being performed somewhere underground. The party went to the delvers guild and gathered maps and other resources. Eventually they discovered where the core of the volcanic activity had to be and assumed this is where the Cagewrights Fiery Sanctuim.

The party began their descent into the bowels beneath the Rivergate district using the lava tubes as access. This journey would take them some 8 hours. Along the way they would battle past Phiuls (disembodied souls of Elementals native to Tarterus) and Greater Earth Elementals (presumably drawn to the volcanic activity). They would even have a chance encounter with the famous planar warrior Lucas Arcanum. Lucas had been adventuring on Tarterus when he was sucked through the vortex. Now he was claiming that there were special properties to this planet that were preventing him from planeshifting out.

Finally the lava tunnels terminated at a gate carved with a demonic visage. The party dispelled the wards on the gate, picked the locks and entered the Fiery Sanctum, the stronghold of the Cagewrights. Insight they battled past Farrastu Demodands, Kelubar Demodands, a Kastighur Demon, and finally defeated Gau Kleeoch. Gau was the female Minataur Barbarian and one of the Thirteen Cagewright Lords. The party had already battled through hell and their resources were heavily depleted but the ritiual of planar junction was set to complete in a just a few hours.

----------(Session Two)--------------

The party continued to explore the complex and were already to feel their resources having been exhausted. Keen soon feel victim to another strange magical effect and was forced to make a tactical retreat with Breya in tow. Now without their rogue the party continued on. They soon felt a magical field spill over them. Obryn quickly deduced that this was an emanation coming from the center of this ritual that would now prevent teleportation.

Not long after the party came upon the personal chambers of Decrinhi Baiul, Warpriest of Adimarchus and apprentice to Shebeloth. Decrinhi was playing his Pipe Organ as the party arrived. After a few moments of suspended shock battled ensued. The party defeated Decrinhi and located a secret room beyond his massive Pipe Organ. The room was an altar to the imprisoned Abyssal Lord Adimarcus. Upon entering this chamber Calost felt an immediate connection to his demonic plane of Occipitus (Realm of the Smoking Eye). The connection stemmed from the Altar and if needed Calost could call upon the power of his plane in the this room to make a powerful Wish.

The party left this room continuing to explore the Fiery Sanctum. They follow a very long tunnel south before arriving in a massive lava filled chamber. The party had just entered the lair of Moltenwing (Garithynak), The Pyroclastic Dragon. As the party was flying across the room Moltenwing revealed himself with a dominance display. He then ordered the party to return to the other side of the room. The party ignored the dragon’s initial urgings. Two of the party members began to move back extremely slowly after constant urgings from the dragon. Then Calost attempt to cast a spell which provoked combat. Moltenwing shot a crackling energy breath weapon at the party that instantly disintegrated Vander. The party responded with ineffective attacks. Next Moltenwing came crashing down on Calost smashing the paladin into the lava. The party made more ineffective attacks. Moltenwing then took Calost in his mouth and cracked the Paladin in half. His brownie familiar Tanner could see dissolving into the lava. Obryn and Kessell fell back and were immediately joined by Meerthan and a strike team of the most powerful Viridian Lords. The group made ready for battle as Moltenwing appeared again. In just seconds Moltenwing had disintegrated the entire group. The party had been destroyed.

Back on the Plane of Occipitus, Realm of the Smoking Eye, Calost’s body began to grow anew. As lord of the now pocket plane Calost if slain on the Prime Material plane would reform alive and with all his possessions back on his home plane within mere minutes. Calost immediately exited his plane to meet with Nabitheron, The Glabrezu demon bonded to guard his realm. Nabitheron as always exhibited nothing but contempt for the Paladin but had to follow his commands. Calost had Nabitheron teleported him outside the Fiery Sanctum. Calost entered and soon came upon Jenya, a powerful Cleric and only surviving member of the Viridian Lord strike team.

She went with Calost to the Altar of Adimarcus. There Calost used to Wish to “bring back to life” every one he could name that had been disintegrated by Motlenwing. This ability worked and these members found themselves alive right where they had died in Moltenwing’s lair. The party members managed to flee the chamber but the Viridian Lords were not so fortunate and were again distergrated by the Dragon. After this event the alter to Adimarcus crumbled. The party reunited now joined by Jenya, powerful Viridian Lord and Cleric of Lothian. Their resources were even more depleted. But with just 6 and a half hour left before the opening of the Carcian gate they had to push on.

They soon entered the chambers of Frieja Doorgan, Poweful Conjurer and Cagewright Lord. Obryn was able to hit here with a powerful spell but she quickly responded by trapping the party except for Obryn in Forcecage. The Forcecage also blocked off Obryn. With the party trapped in the Forcecage Freija started conjuring demon after demon. Soon the room was filled with 10 fiends waiting to tear the party apart. After boosting herself up with spells the conjurer then dismissed the Forcecage. Immediately the partys new ally Jenya ran into the center of the room and cast a Holy Word Spell. This powerful incantation banished all but the most powerful demon. The only enemies that remained now were Freija and a Kastughur Demon. Jenya was immediately rewarded with a Disentergration ray which utterly killed her. The party was able to overcome the Kastighur and eventually kill Freija.

---------(Seassion Three)-------------------

Keen and Breya had regrouped and were re-entering the Fiery Sanctum to once again rejoin their companions. As they came upon the front gates a huge Fire Giant was exiting. It was Durgobras the forger, fabricator of the Soul Cages, whom the party had encountered before. Durgobras presumably had been here helping with the final Soul Cages. Now with the ritual begun and his contract completed he was leaving. He warned Keen to leave as soon a great doom was coming. Keen thanked him but said he needed to try and stop it. A short time later Keen and Breya rejoined the party and told them of these events. Kessell seemed intrigued and thus went to catch up with Durgobras telling the party he would rejoin them shortly.

The party entered a torture room where they defeated a Slimy Demodand and came across records detailing torture interrogations that had been performed. One such record contained information about the interrogation of Potato Fred, a former employee of the party’s bar. Fred had given up a lot of information about the party to the Cagewrights. With the exploration of this room the party had explored the entire complex or had missed some secret passages. Now with mere hours remaining before the Planar Junction ritual was to be completed the party would have to do pains taking searches. Luckily Keen was with them again.

Keen quickly found a secret room containing an arcane lab. Inside a secret draw he found information on a “Dispersal Collar”. An emergency shutdown device for the Tree of Shackled Soul that one of the Cagewrights had created as a contingency plan. The records also indicated that this device was being guarded by “The Wyrm of Gehemma”. Obryn quickly deduced this to be Moltenwing, the dragon that had obliterated the party the week before. Moltenwing (Garythynak) was a Pyroclastic Dragon, a Planar species of dragon originating on the Plane of Gehenna. If the party wanted this device they would have to face the great Wyrm again.

The party was extremely hesitant about entering the dragon’s lair again. Keen decided he would go alone using stealth to try and gain the collar. He managed to fly silently and invisibly through the lair and gain entrance into the back cavern. Inside was a massive dragon’s horde. Among the treasure was the Dispersal Collar. Keen did not take any chances, he grabbed the collar and quickly returned to the party.

Obryn next used magical detections to try and establish the direction of the Tree. Once this was discovered Keen began searching a new and found another secret passage giving further access to the Fiery Sanctum. They soon came upon a room containing four Flamewarders. The Flamewarders were an organization based in the outer planes comprised of Harraknin, Hell Hounds that could assume a hybrid humanoid form. They were roguish and very cunning. The party slaughtered them and continued on.

They soon came upon a combat training room. Here they encountered two of the Cagewright Lords. These were Nulin “Fish” Weijeron, an assassin, and Ardeth Webb, an Ember Monk. The Cagewrights tried to use Invisibility activation stones on the floor to gain an advantage but the party had the proper counter magic to deal with this. These Cagewright Lords were soon laid low. Beyond this Chamber the party battled another Slimy Demodand who was guarding the treasure room of Dyr’Ryd. After this combat Obryn began to pick up some psionic activity. The Fire Giant Cagewright Ti’irok was using a helm of telepathy to warn Dyr’Ryd that the party was coming.

Inside Dyr’Ryd’s chamber the party found yet another secret passage that opened up into the Chamber of The Tree of Shackled Souls. Before them was a massive room with a titanic tree forged of steel. The tree had 13 branches each ending in a hook. Upon each hook sat a Soulcage housing within it the dead bodies of the Shackleborn. The bodies of Zenith Splintersheild and the boy Terrem could be seen. As the party began to cross the room Dyr’Ryd, Overlord of the Cagewrights revealed himself. A dialogue ensued as Dyr’ryd queried the party as to why they had come. Dyr’Ryd explained that Tarterian rule was inevitable and good for the people of the world. The party disagreed. Dyr’Ryd offered to pay the party and even tried to avoid a battle. Keen soon began to suspect that Dyr’Ryd was stalling the party. That’s when Vander said “Cagewrights?, Cagewrong bitch.” And attacked.

Dyr’ryd had bolstered himself with spells before the party’s arrival including Displacement and Haste. He used his flying ability to abuse his reach in melee. Meanwhile it was revealed that some sort of symbiotic creature lived on the side of Dyr’ryds neck and could cast spells as Dyr’ryd attack. (Actually the large body was Dyr, the symbiot was Ryd. Together they were Dyr’ Ryd). Obryn tried to hammer Dyr’Ryd with his remaining spells but the symbiot creature continued to Counterspell and harass him. On multiple occasions Obryn was defeated by a fear spell but both times his fellow party members managed to heal him. Vander and Calost carried on the battle in melee while Breya tried to heal them. Keen managed to Shackle the Tree by installing the dispersal device upon it but it would need to remain on the tree for a very long time to end the ritual. Vander and Calost were on the verge of death as the battle was winding down. Finally with flying and blessed weapons provided by Keen and Breya, Calost and Vander managed to bring down the Overlord of Cagewrights.

After the battle Obryn deduced the collar would need to remain on the Tree for about 30 minutes for the collar to disperse all of the tree energy. The party healed up and took defensive positions. But no other threat appeared. After 30 minutes the magic of the tree dispersed causing a massive earthquake. The tree of Shackle Souls had been shut down. The magic dispersed. The portal above closed. Many of the Cagewrights had been killed including Dyr’Ryd. But most important the overall goal of the Cagewrights had been ruined. Ptolus had been saved. And Umber Hulk’s everywhere trembled with fear.

Thirteen Cages: By Chris Thomasson (Shackled City Adventure Path)
XP: Kessell 142,857, Obryn: 152,042, Keen: 147,357, Calost: 134,188, Breya: 102,120, Vander: 142,131
-4-25-2012 & 5-2-2012 & 5-9-2012