Expedition 63: The Return of Uzra-Alum

### Summary

We escort Uzra-Alum back to the top of Frost-Stone to complete his ritual rug, but he betrays us. We capture him, interrogate him, and leave him in Clarity's mage tower until we can modify his memory of the events.

### Detailed Writeup

The group sets off from the new settlement in the Blackwater Swamp, newly teeming with Mousefolk immigrants. Luckily, Uzra hires some riverboats to take us to the base of the Mountain. The climb begins, with Tolyr and Uzmir flagging behind and taking Vigor damage.

Thus begins a skill challenge to reach the top of the mountain. Bea successfully identifies some routes up (Success). Clarity suggests following plants, which might indicate more stable ground, but this leads the group astray, causing Uzmir, Bea, and Tolyr falling off a drop (Failure). Uzmir uses his Dwarven Stonecutting to identify stable ground and leads the group forward (Success). Tolyr uses Annie to scout ahead, identifying potential dangers (Success). Kar attempts to forge ahead to set rope for the group, but falls off a drop and causes an avalanche, necessitating a Wall of Force from Tolyr to protect the group (Failure). Nexrin identifies further avalanche zones and steers the group away from them (Success). Bea pushes snow out of the group's path, but in doing so opens a crevasse (Failure).

The group all falls down, with Uzra preventing damage via Feather Fall, but they weren't alone. Wyrmling skeletons, sealed in ice, awaken and their ghosts attack the group. After dissipating the ghosts, the group will attempt to mark the location to deal with the skeletons later, but Tolyr and Kar are unable to identify sufficient landmarks to lead people to the crevasse. Uzmir will attempt to identify a path forward (Success). Tolyr steers the group away from further plants, causing everyone but Nexrin to take Vigor damage (Failure). Kar clambers up a ledge and tosses a rope down (Success).

At this point, the sun bears down on the group, causing Vigor damage. Nexrin leads the group astray, keeping the group under the oppressive sun, causing more Vigor damage (Failure). Tolyr casts Dimension Door to take a shortcut for the group (Success). Bea covers the group's tracks to prevent predator attacks (Success). Kar uses Misty Step to get the group to the summit of Froststone Mountain (Success). With 9 successes (and 5 failures), the skill challenge is finished.

Clarity approaches Uzra's work, and can tell it has something to do with leylines in the area, and that there were four golden tangles of magical thread in the circle (1 in the North, 2 in the east, 1 in the Southeast). Tolyr and Kar make a decent map of the area to the North, thanks to the view. Nexrin fails at making a snowdragonborn.

Upon finishing his work, Uzra Alum suggests that the group use Feather Fall to get down, just like last time. the group refuses, at which point Uzra tosses Nexrin the money and casts Thunderwave targeting everyone. Uzmir, Bea, and Clarity are cast off the mountain. Tolyr attempts to cast Featherfall, Uzra casts Counterspell, and Clarity Counterspells the Counterspell, so the three float slowly down the mountainside.

Clarity transforms herself into a Giant Eagle using Polymorph, and scoops up Bea, bringing her back to the summit. Uzra attacks with Chain Lightning, hitting Tolyr and grazing Nexrin, Clarity, and Bea. Kar shoots Uzra with his crossbow, but fails. Tolyr attempts to cast Bigby's Hand, but Uzra Counterspells. Bea charges the Earth Elemental, forcing it towards the summit edge, and forcing it off the mountain. Nexrin grapples Uzra, but fails to shove a fist in his mouth. Uzra attempts to cast some spells, but between Tolyr and Nexrin they fail. Bea knocks him unconscious, and Tolyr stabilizes him.

Clarity determines that his ritual would identify Codices in the East, which are very powerful magical artifacts. Bea uses a Juliet's Rose to ensure Uzra will not wake up within six hours. The group debates throwing him off a cliff, but decides against murder. Unfortunately, we have no access to Feather Fall, and must trek down the mountain the long way. Some of the group take Vigor damage on the route down, but reach the foothills without issue. In the Foothills, the group finds some cloth object, resembling a painting, wedged in some rocks. It's sturdy, but weathered over a long period of time. Uzmir indicates that there is a very faint Conjuration/Evocation aura. The material itself is magical. Bea extracts it, a strange cloth thing. Uzmir recognizes it as a House Kite, used by the tribes of the Western desert. It could carry entire family's inside, flying them across the desert. The group stashes it for later, and heads home, with Uzmir taking some Vigor damage.

Nexrin and Bea manage to hide Uzra from the Mousefolk, with Uzmir explaining away the absence of Uzra Alum. Tolyr's Major Image prevents anyone from questioning his absence, and Bea readies the Tower for them.

The group then interrogates Uzra Alum.

The bracers, attuning Uzra to Ferrin Noda (Delphi's Brother), will let Ferrin know if Uzra dies or the Bracers deattune. He won't know which.

"Who sent you here? What was your goal on the mountain?"

I was sent by Dean of Uuron Academy, indirectly by Prince Ferrin. If I answer the 2nd part, it lessens your chance of survival. Codices, we have detected their stirrings. I was sent to find their locations so a future expedition could find them.

"Why did they order you to tie up loose ends?"

Dean ordered it, with Prince Ferrin supporting it. If anyone got nosy, asking questions, especially if they had magical aptitude, they should be killed to lessen problems.

"How many people, aside from Dean and Prince, know why you were sent here?"

Two dozen know why he came, and twenty dozen know he's here.

"Is anyone besides the Dean and Prince seeking the Codices"?

Any powerful mage in the South are seeking them. Many of the Capitolans (city in Land of Kings) are as well.

"If you had succeeded in getting them, who would you give them to?"

The prince, although it was not my role to get them.

"What are they going to do with them?"

I don't know what the Prince is going to do. (Delphi says "Power?")

"Do you know which Codices are located in the East?"

No. From the rug, I know there are four in the East. There are theories, but they are largely insubstantiated.

"You want to live, as a show of good faith, what am I not asking that I should be asking?"

I would like to stay alive, this was not personal. How long have we known? The stirrings were known 1.5 years ago. We sent people six months ago. Something is about to happen, and the Codices know, and are stirring."

"Do you know more?"

No. Due to my lack of combat ability, I was sent here. I was surprised to see four Codices in this region.

"If we let you go, what would you do?"

My honor demands that I return to my liege and report what happened?

"What do you think would happen?"

I'm inclined to believe that the Prince would laugh at me, and ignore [The Compact]. He would then attempt to retrieve the Codices in the East. If [The Compact] were to pose an obstacle, he would move against you.

"If you failed to return, what would happen?"

There would be sendings to determine what happened. They would assume I died if there was no response. I would like to think they would retrieve my corpse for resurrection.

You could modify my memory to make me believe that I failed. He wants to live, and is sorry for what he attempts to do.

"Why do you work for someone who is so questionably ethical?"

I swore myself to the Crown, not to him. I am bound to serve the head upon which the Crown sits.

"You swear your allegiance to the Crown. Why do you have to follow the Prince?"

The Prince is not coronated, but the King is not well. He is quite sick. The fate of the Kingdom lies with the Prince.