Delve Into the Shadowlands 4: Twisting Time

Previous Episode: Delve Into the Shadowlands 3: Escape

Next Episode: Delve Into the Shadowlands 5: Rescue

## Synopsis:

It’s been over half a year since the mercenary Tarmak fell through a thinning to the Shadowlands. For months, mercenaries entering the Mouth of Chaos have uncovered odd objects, potential clues to his whereabouts, and a recent divination has granted insight to a method of retrieval. The mission may be suicide: find a means to enter the Shadowlands, somehow locate Tarmak from amidst the raw depths of the plane of chaos, escape through the Astral Plane and siphon life from magic to eject them from the throes of death. But it can be done, and there are those who would risk it all to bring back their lost comrade...

## Client:

Nwalme, adopted son of Xekral Shadhavar, has asked a group of trusted friends to accompany him.

## Mercenaries:

* Darius, Harengon Bard
* Erthish, Silver Dragonborn Zealot Barbarian
* Gnarlap, Silver Dragonborn GOO Warlock
* Ima, Half-Drow Celestial Warlock
* Nwalme, Shadar-Kai Phantom Rogue
* Nyx, Tiefling (Half-Orc thread) Echo Knight

## Adventure Summary:

As the merchant and his dragon mount headed back the way they came, the party was left deciding how to proceed. Between them and the next city, La'Rau, was another canyon, but there was another option: A tunnel through the mountains to the north, which should deposit them outside the city. After some discussion, and remembering their last journey down a canyon, the party headed into the tunnel.

As they crossed the threshold, time itself seemed to twist, and each member of the party felt their own powers shifting, changing into something else. Exploring the area, the tunnel appeared to be more of a dungeon, carved out of the mountain for an unknown reason. Nwalme and Darius were able to cross a trapped room, and grabbed a large emerald, while the rest of the party noticed some shades in one of the next rooms. Preparing an ambush, the party was able to defeat the shades, and time twisted again, returning to the present.

Pushing further into the dungeon, the party found themselves in a room with a lever. Crowding into the entryway to the room, Ima pulled the lever with her mage hand, which led to a stone door dropping behind the party as gas began to fill the room. Attempting to find a way out of the room, Gnarlap ended up knocking the hilt of his blade against a stony Lymphus, and after a quick conversation, it agreed to help the party escape the room in exchange for their assistance escaping the dungeon, which would soon be shifting out of the Shadowlands, by getting past the shadow guardian of the entrance. Using its ability to pass through stone, the Lymphus pulled the party through the wall, and the party, with a new member, continued on, finding themselves at the exit.

Standing in their way, though, was a massive shadowy being. A quick conversation reveled that this being was Edga, who, in a show of good faith, told the party they would be free to go, if they could get past him. Unsurprisingly, the Lymphus took the opportunity to abandon the party, passing through the stone wall and running, leaving the party to figure out how to out-maneuver a Pit Fiend.

Darius was the first to get past, hopping easily out of reach of Edga. Erthish and Nyx attempted to grapple the being, pushing him away from the rest of the party, but Edga was a solid rock, withstanding their efforts. Nwalme attampted to run past, but Edga caught him, pinning him against the wall. Ima was able to take advantage of Edga being distracted and ran past. Gnarlap also stepped up to assist in trying to get Edga out of the way, but was also rebuffed by the massive Edga.

With Darius and Ima through, and Gnarlap and Nwalme assuring the others that they were fine, Erthish risked being grabbed and squeezed past Edga, while Nyx utilized her shadow, switching places with it, escaping to the other side of the exit. Gnarlap and Nwalme both used magic to teleport to the other side, where Nwalme took a moment to taunt Edga. Enraged, Edga lashed out with his whip, wrapping around Nwalme's ankle, pulling him back towards the exit. Luckily, Gnarlap was still nearby, and, manifesting spectral wings, was able to grab Nwalme, pulling him out of the dungeon as the next Mouth of Chaos shifted out into the material plane.

The party continued on to La'Rau, where the city was barricading it's doors. Entering a tavern, the party learned that the "ax-man" was coming. They had seen a flash of light, which the party determined was from the Mouth of Chaos shifting, and that he would always appear afterwards, going on a murderous rampage. With a little further pressing, the patrons described a being that looked exactly like Tarmak, wielding a chain-axe. Teaming up with a dwarf with the mark of a dragon and a gnome rogue, the party prepared to stop Tarmak's rampage.

## Outcome:

The party made it to La'Rau, where they learned that Tarmak may be coming that night.

## Adventure Rewards:

Everyone is still alive. Tarmak may be close.

A large emerald.