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| Madhor Kheb |
PCs
1. (Daphne) Aeridnis Vorzin lvl 3, Atlantean Wizard-1/Fighter-2
2. (Matt) Falskaar lvl 3, Nimothan Soothsayer Fighter-1>3
3. (Luke) Caspian Morningstar lvl 3, Elf Corsair Rogue-1>3
4. (Judith) Aeshma lvl 5, Kalayan Golden Sea Corsair (h-f), Rogue-3/Fighter-1/>Warlock 1
5. (Chris) Droogar, Katagian Ranger-1 (dec'd)
Indisposed:
(Joe) Talarni 'Wolf', Dhari Hunter Barbarian-2
NPCs
'Karen' Yhurgya, Beastman Shamaness & new girlfriend of Caspian >:)
Lizard-Bron
2 Cyclops Skeletons Tomb Guards (1 destroyed, 1 remaining)
Madhor Kheb, Dark Priest of Set, & his 3 guards (RIP)
6 dretch demons (RIP)
4 shadows (& temporary shadow-Ranger) (RIP)
13/M8 2213: 5 weeks later, in the Month of Twilight, the Spice Merchant Ahreb Gluor approaches Lady Aeridnis Vorzin with news...
While hiding from the marauding Beastmen, Aeshma meets up with an Atlantean Ranger named Droogar and we soon spot Aeridnis and a few others entering a dark cave. As dusk falls Droogar and Aeshma are able to sneak past the sleeping Beastmen sentries and enter the cave. The not too distant sound of fighting confirms that we have indeed found the intrepid Lady Aeridnis…
We pass through a couple of caverns into a large chamber. In the far corner a trio of Serpent Cultists led by Mador Keb, their High Priest are trapped behind a magical barrier; a Beastwoman Shamaness is engaged in a ritual next to an unmoving Golden Mummy, an elf Ranger is next to her staring intently at a pair of giant cyclops skeletons even as he clutches an amulet; a Dhari barbarian lies semiconscious and badly wounded; and Lady Aeridnis stands next to Lizard-Bronn, staring at the Priest of Set.
Seeing our arrival, the latter starts and tries to negotiate with Aeridnis, suggesting that we split the gold and pool our resources to escape the Beastmen. Then he sees Aeshma and pales in fury as he recognises the Corsair who years earlier frustrated his ambitions and sold him into slavery. As it becomes clear that Aeridnis has no intention of trusting him, Mador Keb attacks her as soon as the magical barrier falls.
He summons spectral serpents that writhe around the Atlantean, biting her while Aeshma, Droogar, Falskaar, Caspian and Caspian’s controlled giant skeletons attack Mador Keb and his minions. Aeridnis’ Magic Missile spell is enough to break the priest’s concentration and cause his spell to fail while the cultists are crushed beneath the skeletons’ fists.
A few minutes later the Shamaness, Yurgya, finishes her ritual and declares the Mummy’s demon summoning ability has been blocked by her magic. Apparently distrusting her assertion, Droogar moves to strike at the Mummy only to be blocked by Aeshma and then by Bronn who, at Aeridnis’ order, grabbed the Ranger’s hand in his teeth.
We try to convince Droogar that as the magical Mummy is apparently immobilised and not doing anything to us – thanks to Yurgya’s ritual – the wisest course of action id to leave well alone. We break off as much of the gold as we can carry and continue searching the caves. The cavern beyond, slightly raised up from the Mummy’s cave, was where the cultists had made their camp and we find their bedrolls and supplies.
From a high ledge, Droogar finds he has a line of sight down onto the Mummy and shoots it with his bow. Yurgya’s screams in frustration as black, greasy smoke coalesces into six small, grinning demonic forms. Battle ensues as the demons nearly destroy one of Caspian’s skeleton warriors before they are themselves defeated.
Angered by this unnecessary demonic threat to her beloved Caspian, Yurgya attacks Droogar and tries to enspell him, but the Atlantean’s strength of will proves too strong. Instead she rushes towards him and Droogar retreats into the next cavern – a dark, shadowy cavern cut in half by an underwater stream. Yurgya declines to follow – the Shamaness had already sensed the evil lurking in the dark.
In the centre of the cavern, Droogar stumbles to a halt as shadowy figures fade into existence to surround him, the unearthly chill of their hands drawing away his strength and life energy. He tries to escape but it is already too late as one of them plunges her ghostly hand into his head.
Caspian rushes around to where he presumes the cavern’s other entrance lies, his two giant skeletons dutifully following him, while Falskaar steps up to the fight. The warrior is joined by Aeshma and Aeridnis, seated in Bronn’s saddle, while Yurgya looks down on Droogar’s fading body with an expression of grim satisfaction.
With some difficulty given our weapons are of limited effectiveness against the shadows, the four shadows are defeated, but not before they manage to destroy one of Caspian’s giant skeleton warriors. As she charges the last shadow, Aeridnis’ sword blazes with golden light and proves far more effective against this dark creatures than any of our other weapons. Even as the last shadow is destroyed, she reads the name “Dawn Fire” emblazoned on the blade in elegant High Atlantean characters. Above us we can sense the twisted remnants of Droogar’s spirit that the shadows’ darkness had warped into something as inhuman as themselves, waiting to take form to attack us.
Having gone back to collect the still semi-conscious Wolf, we support him between us as we wade down the underground stream into another cavern in which we find five statues of grim-faced wizards, each holding a stone-carved scroll tube. Aeridnis bids her crow familiar to open the scroll tubes and he reveals scrolls etched onto fine copper. As we marvel at the ancient scrolls, the spirit of Droogar swoops from the darkness to defend the scrolls, now bound by the same magic as the ancient Mozar wizards had used on his shadowy undead killers.
Once again “Dawn Fire” blazes in Aeridnis’ hand and Droogar’s captured spirit is released to its rightful rest. She then carefully packs the scrolls as we prepare to follow the stream out of the caves as we believe it is the source of a small waterfall that we had seen earlier.
With the noise of Falskaar’s heavy armour hidden by the roar of the waterfall we are able to slip past the waiting Beastmen and eventually make our way back to the waiting boat. We are in time to make our rendezvous with Captain Abal Bak of the Stern Maiden and enjoy an uneventful return to Quodeth. The gold taken from the cavern, while not overly pure, is still very valuable and easily sold. Aeridnis takes the scrolls to her family as useful in their own right, not to mention their value as a bargaining chip…
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| Aeshma in her new bronze cuirass bought with loot from the Cavern of Golden Tears |
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