Session 22 - May 4, 2020

The group, along with Eva and the liberated prisoners, set out for the mage’s college. A human male and half-elf female approach them on the road. They are in a cart with 2 human boys and several barrels of ale in the back. They seem to be playing a drinking game based on the race of passer-bys. The human warns them the Mage’s College has been locked up for about five days. Rumors indicate it might be because they learned of a coming Yuan-Ti attack or possibly a spell that has put them to sleep. No-one really knows. Drakh (the city around the college) is still bustling with people. He suggests they speak with Barney, the barkeep at The Barnacled Fairy, the tavern attached to The Barnacle Den, he may have more information.

As they approach Drakh, they notice that all ships are docked in the bay and there is no activity coming or going. Shep recognizes one of the ships to be from the Kingdom of Beren. He asks the deckhands for more information about what is going on. The shipmates recognize The Liberators. He has no information about the college, but says the ship has been stuck there for a week. The group is directed to speak with Ashir who is down at The Barnacled Fairy.

The party enters The Barnacled Fairy and approaches Ashir. Before getting down to business, Stitch asks Ashir to enlist the help of his stranded crew and arrange safe passage for Eva and her companions. Ashir agrees and sends them back to the ship with orders. He goes on to explain that things are not well back at Beren. They marched against The Sparrows and were met with many unexpected obstacles. The Sparrows attacked with many large gruesome, terrifying beasts. Because of this, they have travelled to many different places recruiting help from anyone they can. Nerdwine believes they may have the talon of the ancient demon, Pazuzu and are possibly consorting with demonic forces. A dwarf, wearing plate mail emblazoned with the symbol of Pelor approaches and joins them. He claims to know what is going on at the college. He has recently noticed a great many tomes relating to devils, hell and the blood war being carted off to the elders. The council had called for an assembly and immediately locked up the same day, most likely due to a coming darkness that seems to be growing in the world.

Stitch confirms that the dwarf is in fact, Fegrist Knellhaven, the dwarven cleric who Colbin recommended may have more information about the pillars. As soon as Stitch mentions the pillars, the party notices a cloaked man get up and leave from the corner of the tavern. Shep wildshapes into an eagle and follows the man toward the docks, and sees him enter into a storm drain.

Fegrist leads Jehnor and Stitch up to his room and closes the door. He asks them what they know about the pillars. Stitch explains they have seen the emerald / opal pillar and it was destroyed. Fegrist explains with a heavy heart that pillar was a shield guarding the others, and now that it is destroyed, none of them are safe. He explains the Ferontil pillar is deep in the mountains near where the Yuan-ti live.The second is west of Beren on the sunken continent of Kalas, and the third is on this continent, Velastil. He asks if The Liberators have any of the gemstones. Stitch shows him the Eye of Kiltzi and explains they have the emerald and citrine gems as well. Fegrist goes on to explain what he knows of the remaining gemstones. He is certain the College houses the Andesine in the headmaster’s room, and supposes that the Amethyst is kept north in a temple in the region of Eventod. The Yuan-Ti of Ferontil have the Lolite in one of their temples. That leaves the Garnet and Sapphire, of which there is little record leading him to believe one or both could be beneath the seas on the Sunken Continent. But there are reports of a mystical gemstone being possessed by the dwarves of Dol Morga.

He gives them a master key to the college if they decide to look for the Andesine. Shep flies into the window,returns to his normal form and reports on what he has seen. Fegrist confirms the storm drain does in fact lead into the college. Before parting, Fegrist offers to send some messages to the group’s families. He confirms that Stitch’s family is doing well. The lizards are enjoying the tropical climate and the Yuan-Ti have pulled back.

As night falls, the party heads toward the storm drain. They enter the sewer system and continue on until encountering a locked gate. Using the skeleton key to unlock it, they pass through and are ambushed by two barbed devils. After the devils are defeated, the group heads up the ladder and out into the quiet, cool night air of the Mage’s College.

They head towards the head master’s quarters. There is not a living soul in sight. They pass an apothecary and although Stitch refuses to steal anything, he does keep watch while Shep and Jehnor proceed inside. They find it mostly ransacked, and leave only with 6 potions of greater healing. They continue into the spire. Inside they find 9 chambers, one for each of the leaders of the different schools of magic and one for the headmaster. They notice a faint red glow coming beneath the door of the headmaster’s quarters. Jehnor cracks the door an inch and sends in an arcane eye.

Within the chamber lies a large glowing symbol on the floor surrounded by several braziers. A large red portal glows in the middle of the symbol. On the far side of the room Jehnor recognizes the wizard Morgana, the head of the School of Evocation, chanting and performing a ritual.

The Liberators plan and execute an attack. As Morgana is retaliating he notices Jehnor and calls out to him. He explains that after Artemis betrayed the college, they were left with one less elder and asks Jehnor to join the council and take his place. In an effort to entice him, he calls out to someone named Octavius, and an imp flies forth from the portal. He casts a ball of hellfire on the imp and it dies instantly. After hearing the commotion, Fegrist arrives to assist the group.

As the battle wages on, Morgana summons a massive meteor storm. The destruction is too much for Jehnor to bear, and he falls dead. Shep is knocked unconscious. Barely clinging to life himself, Stitch finishes Morgana with a few well-placed blows of his hammer. Fegrist rushes to Jehnor’s body and scoops him up. He rushes Jehnor off to his quarters to see if he can save him.

Shep and Stitch search the surrounding chambers and find many magical scrolls, a glowing red amulet emanating heat, and the Andesine. They continue on to Fegrist’s quarters to help with Jehnor.

Fegrist channels the light of Pelor and Jehnor gasps for air. He lives.

Fegrist explains that he has messaged Nerdwine and learned there is a demonic army descending on Berengrad. He invites the group to join him as he heads that way. They decide to press on towards Eventod to secure the next gem.