The Story So Far

## The Meeting of Heroes

After being hired for a simple goods delivery by Gundren Rockseeker, Malekith, Ulrice, Rè-Long and Illieth travelled together from Vis, the capital city of Visaerie, to Phandalin, a newly resettled town to the north-east of the city.

### Session 1

The party began their journey travelling along The Broken Road and headed onto the rough path. Ambushed by goblins, the party continued to follow a trail left by them, discovering a hidden cave, Crigmaw Cave. The party cleared the cave, discovering their guide Sildar Hallwinter (who had travelled ahead of them by a week). After defeating Crig, the large bugbear leader of the goblin band, the party continued to their original destination, Phandalin.

### Session 2

While travelling on this trail Sildar informed the party about his capture. He informed the party that he and Gundren Rockseeker, the dwarven entrepreneur who had hired the group, were captured while travelling by Crig (along with Gundren's brothers). Sildar was taken to the cave while Gundren was taken to Crigmaw Castle.

Along with this, he mentioned the map Gundren had discovered, a map to the famous and long lost Wave Echo Cave. Upon arriving in Phandalin he gave the party 50 gold pieces for their trouble and as thanks. He stated that if the party wished to continue their task they should locate Iarno Albrek, a wizard who was part of a forward post sent by Gundren months in advance.

The party toured the town of Phandalin; Rè-Long purchased a stick from Barthen's Provisions. Ulrice spent this time listening for clues and rumours as to Iarno's location, hearing that a group of bandits, known as the Redbrands, had taken over an inn in the local area named the Stonehill Inn.

The party met with the matron of the town, seeking to gain access to their limited library and to see if there was any knowledge on Iarno's whereabouts. The party discovered that the matron was controlled by the bandits, forcing her to work under threat of death etc.

After this they tracked the bandits back to Tresendar Manor, a run down manor atop a hill, a remnant of what used to be of the town before the Ashfall. After finding an entrance at the bottom of the hill it stands on, they entered the crack, discovering a hidden basement.

The party worked their way through the underground layer, discovering some imprisoned townies, the Drendrar family. Releasing the mother and daughter, they convinced the son, Barry Drendrar, to aid them in finding Iarno.

They continued through the basement, discovering a large, freezing cold, dark cavern. In the centre a large fissure. Malekith decided to send Barry first. A small yelp was heard and a flash of green was seen.

The party entered to find a nothic making its home here. The party fought it, ending in an extremely close victory. This discovered Barry hanging from a stone in the fissure, a large wound across his chest.

### Session 3

After a long rest in a dark chilling cavern, the party was awoken by a cloaked intruder attempting to sneak to the supplies of the party. The figure turned out to be a hungry Ashlynn Crow, looking to steal food from the party.

Awoken by the noise Barry alerted the party, however they were more concerned with the fact that Barry's eye had become a glowing green, along with a strange dark scaly growth emanating from his wound.

After brief introductions, the stranger joined the group and they continued to explore the cellar, while looking for Iarno.

During this time they discovered Droop, a terrified goblin servant to the bugbears living within the base. He pointed them towards their boss known as "Glass Staff" and proceeded to flee and hide.

(Apparently this is all that happened during this session?)

### Session 4

The party continued through the underground, discovering what looked like a laboratory. The party rifled through the items there, discovering many many failed potions, torn books and small amounts of money.

They moved onwards to the final room. Upon entry to the rather lavishly decorated room, they saw a wizard atop a balcony. In his hand a glass staff. He matched the description of Iarno. Fleeing, he ran from the party, as they gave chase.

Illieth and Ashlynn starting searching the room for any goodies while Rè-Long, Malekith and Ulrice tracked down Iarno, leaving him on the brink of death.

They questioned him about the location of Gundren and his masters, in which he said he was still at Crigmaw Castle. In exchange for information they let him free. Ash and Illieth discovered a letter in his room from someone called The Black Spider.

The party returned to the town, victorious. Free from the redbrand bandits, the town returned to normal working. They visited the Matron to tell them of their victory. Malekith and Ashlynn began book heist. After entering the town library, they discovered a thick book, behind bars, on a pedestal. Intrigued, Mal and Ash broke into the small "jail cell" like area and stole the book, escaping from the library with the stolen book. After a brief check of the book once outside they realised it was something most interesting... a town ledger tracking trade and taxation.

While this was happening, Rè-Long and Illieth returned to the manor to look for Droop, who had become trapped in a sarcophagus within the basement they had previously explored. Injured and seemingly comatose, Droop was carried back home, hidden from plain sight (due to the mass hatred of goblinoids).

Shortly after he was killed by Ulrice.

### The transfer to Session 5

These are tasks undertaken in-between the two sessions, wrap up quests that were too short to be fully fleshed out here.

* The party visited Conbery, a destroyed town to the north. There they discovered Agatha, a banshee which they freed from her bind to the earth.
* The party cleaned up the town a little, scaring away the remaining bandits.
* The party went shopping and spoke to several people around the town.
* Sildar decided to stay in town to set up the forward camp Iarno should have.
* Rè-Long got an invite to the Fighters' Guild.
* The party travelled to Old Owl Well to remove a necromancer. Upon arriving there they discovered that he was actually quite nice, though annoyed that they wanted him to move. The necromancer, in return for their non-violent approach, told them the location of Crigmaw Castle.

## Searching For Gundren

### Session 5

After 25 days of completing various side-quests, the party decided to venture towards the destroyed town of Thundertree. During the 7 day journey, the party came across 2 owl bears and a small hobgoblin ambush. After swiftly dealing with the hobgoblins, the party made it to the ash-covered town of Thundertree.

Malekith decided that he would like to loot the entire place and began to search house to house in hopes of finding loot. As he began to search the town, the ground seem to come alive with Twig blights. A large horde of these blights were quickly dispatched by the party.

Shortly after Malekith discovered a large tree, with what seemed to be a door embedded. As he entered a strange druid, with thick dreadlocks and ragged clothes, a large cauldron and several wisps sat inside, waiting for him. He informed him that he wished to invite him back to the Druidlands. He also gave him an item to help Barry with his spreading darkness, a clear crystal amulet. As Malekith was leaving the hut, the druid informed him that there was a strong creature living in the tower of this town, warning him to steer clear of it. Once he was out, he turned back and saw the door had disappeared.

Completely ignoring the druid's warnings, the party decided to check out the old tower.

As they went to the door they opened it to discover a young green dragon, named Viidoskul, was resting inside, who called his many followers to defend him. A group of cultists came to his aid and the party was stopped in their tracks. During this time, Malekith had escaped, hidden as a snake. He snuck into the tower, discovering a huge amount of gold and several items of interest. He took a gem encrusted dagger.

The rest of the party, under the gaze of the dragon, who stood on the roof of the tower, tried to bargain for their freedom. Rè-Long offered to fight their strongest member to prove they should be left to live.

Accepting this interesting challenge, the dragon called on Favric, his most powerful follower. The fight was very much equal, however Favric began to take the lead. Attempting to sway the fight more on the parties side, those on the sidelines attempted to interfere, however the dragon was not accepting of it. Breathing poison onto the entire party (except Malekith), the dragon killed many of his followers and rendered the rest of the party very injured.

Amused with their strength the dragon gave them a choice: join him or die. They agreed to serve him.

### Session 6

After being captured by Favric and taken to a ruined guard house, the party rested. The dragon asked them to go out and discover loot for him. The party immediately decided to betray him, lighting a barn filled with poisonous spiders on fire and retreating into the forest.

Fleeing, the party decided to find the guy who was paying them, Gundren, who was meant to be at Crigmaw Castle (According to Sildar). After many days of travel the party came across the old, decrepit ruins of what was once this castle.

The party scouted the outside of the castle and found a back entrance through a collapsed wall. Ash snuck into the building cloaked in her invisibility, creeping through the old castle, opening the door into a large room containing "lavish" (as lavish as goblin decor can be) decorations and furniture, Spying a large old bugbear, a dog, a female drow in dark robes and an unconscious dwarf before leaving swiftly.

The party began to discuss their possible approaches and how they should attempt to sneak into the castle and take out each segment quietly.

Upon hearing this news, Malekith decided to turn into a bear, run into the secret entrance and roar loudly.

After the roar echoed loudly there was a brief moment of silence... before a bell inside the castle started to ring. The contents of the castle began to pour out, looking to defend their new home.

The fight was not long and much of the party was defeated and taken captive by the doppelganger and thrown into prison cells. As they were put into their cells they discovered they were placed along side their dwarven friend, Gundren, who was badly beaten and bruised, with a broken leg.

Ashlynn was questioned and left in the grasp of a Grick, a large gross ass creature, which slowly writhed around her, restraining her.

### Session 7

**9th of ifelnosos, 2nd Archdas 1034 2E**

**The Calendar was invented!**

*"So teach us to number our days, so that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom."*

– Bible Psalms 90:12

Little Civ 5 Joke there sorry.

Ulrice and Illieth slinked deep into the forest, retreating to prepare to save their allies. Returning after a short while, Ulrice sneaked through a collapsed wall and into the former barracks of the castle, a room which was decorated with an array of weaponry along the walls.

During the time Ulrice had been skulking around the ruins of the castle, Ashlynn had been talking to the guards of their prison and through manipulation and magic she convinced the guards that she was infact a god, sending one orcish guard to find at key for their prison. He did not return.

Ulrice entered, disguised as an orc, and sent the Liob the goblin guard to eat after throwing a hare to him. Seeing the coast was clear, Ulrice slowly exited in order to get Illieth, who was waiting for Ulrice's signal to enter. Soon after they left, a familiar entity creeped into the dimly lit room, its presence unnoticed by some, but clearly seen by Malekith. He decided that he would then verbally shit himself, chatting shit about Kontaria and Borykiv for endless amounts of time.

Upon Ulrice's re-entrance to the prison chamber, the doppelganger approached immediately to question the orc on why he had an elf with him. Ulrice used this opportunity to claim it was a prisoner, using this lie to receive the key from the doppelganger.

After breaking out, the party decided to launch a stealthy attack on their captors.

Peering into the "King's room" of the castle, the stealthy part of their plan took a turn for the worse when a certain clumsy dragonborn tripped as he entered the room, drawing the attention of it's inhabitants. "King" Stev and the doppelganger swiftly turned to face their combatants. A fierce battle ensued, clashing of weapons and the frenzied attacks swapped back and forth between the party and their latest enemies.

After a long battle, the party FINALLY won. After their victory the party searched the room for their equipment. Although they did not find their equipment in this room, they found a scroll containing a map and a bunch of money. In the main barracks room the party found their equipment and Mal begun the ritual to summon his familiar, Al.

## Wave Echo Cave

### Session 8

**10th of Ifelnosos, 2nd Irdas 1034 2E**

After a long rest the party continued to explore and empty the castle of its previous owners.

The party cleared out the banquet hall, defeating Bob Hobbs the hob gob and, seeming as no one asked, killed Stev's son. They then spent like 2/3 of the whole session trying to be nice to an owlbear in a tower while hitting it every now and then and also trying to crowd around it. The party then dispatched of the grick in the temple, Illieth declaring this as her bedroom from now on.

After this had all be done and sorted, Gundren offered the party ~~10%~~ 20% of all profits from Wave Echo Cave; in return they must clear the cave and return back to him with the news.

The party then headed towards the cavern, following a map discovered along with all of their equipment.

They spent several days looking for the cave until they came upon an opening. Inside they discovered Gundren's first brother, Tharden, dead at the entrance to the cave.

**14th of Infelnosos, 2nd Ísdas 1034 2E**

After entering, the party walked through a whole load of winding tunnels, noticing several blue defensive drakes. Heading through the cave, the party came across a large, deep pool, with several bugbears making a camp around it. Ashlynn Crow summoned Ed the frog then explored, finding a few more passages for the party to explore. While the party waited for Ashlynn to recover some loot from a dead guy at the bottom of the pool, Malekith took it into his own hands to explore the rest of the incredibly dangerous and enemy-filled cave by himself.

Opening a door with voices behind it, Mal activated the full force of the Black Spider with a rain of ice and hail; Mal was quickly made unconscious.

Being dragged to a back room, in his half-conscious state, Malekith noticed a large orcish warlock standing opposite a large glowing green crystal before being dragged into the store room.

Waking in a room, Mal found himself bound and with another damn dwarf, presumed to be Gundren's other brother, Nundro, as well as human, later revealed to be "Tom Holland".

### Session 9

Coming to, Malekith convinced those inside the room to help him break out of a gap in the wall he discovered. Pushing apart some loose stones they managed to break out and return to the others.

**15th of Infelnosos, 3rd Archdas 1034 2E**

After a long rest the party found several items and cleared a few more rooms within the cave. Ashlynn found a Gauntlet of Titan Power buried below a pile of stones. The party spend the majority of the day stealthily off-ing Bugbears, and Ashlynn took it upon herself to make friends with a bugbear named Leonardo.

Digging deeper, Malekith discovered a room protected by a strange creature, a ball with several eye stalks growing from it; it was a spectator. Malekith claimed he was working with the creature's boss. The creature stated he needed his boss' permission to let Malekith stay. Moving to a destroyed section of the cave Malekith discovered a wraith, who was once the owner of the cave. He gave a jade statue of a frog to the wraith as payment for exploring the cave, receiving his permission.

Malekith took all the decent loot in the forge of spells from the spectator and called Ash a loot goblin.

**16th of Infelnosos, 3rd Irdas 1034 2E**

The party woke from another days rest 2 miles into a cave. At this point the Black Spider had left and the large green glowing crystal found within the cave was now a dim grey colouration, no longer pulsing green.

They then debated getting a drake egg, then didn't. Then debated going into other rooms, then didn't.

Ash and her new bugbear friend Leonardo took gems out of a giant dwarf statue in the room with the mute crystal, caving in the walls, completely burying the bugbear inside.

Launching a rescue mission Ashlynn, Tom and Illieth went to save the bugbear, Ashlynn levitating the stones above her to give them more time. During the rescue Malekith hit Ash with a magic stone, causing her to lose concentration, crushing all people inside the room and almost killing everyone. Thanks Mal.

Thanks to stretching the rules a bit with levitate, they were able to make it out after Ashlynn freed her hands, getting the whole party out of the room before the rest of the mountain came down. After this Ashlynn left the room with one very large emerald.

The party left the cave to rest after another day of doing nothing, while Tom Holland explored.

Discovering a room with pulsing waves, Tom Holland was drawn in. He dove off the side into the freezing waters below until he finally woke up from whatever trance he was in.

### Session 10 (First Half)

After the "cave-in" incident, the party decided to sleep separately. Ash sent off Lorenzo with a bag of items towards Crigmaw Castle.

**17th of Infelnosos, 3rd Vasildas 1034** **2E**

The party descended into the cave to finish the job they had been tasked with by Gundren: clearing the cave. The party decided to deal with the wraith first, deciding to ask the spectator for help. The spectator stated that for any actions to be done, they must contact the manager, who was, in fact, the wraith. The party dealt with the wraith, although Ulrice almost died in the process.

The party sacked the room, smashing in the lead chest and loot goblining the items within it.

They then found the key for the very chest they had spent far too long trying to break.

Nap time.

**17th of Infelnosos, 3rd Vasildas 1034** **2E, but 8 hours and 10 minutes later**

The party continued their conquest of the cave, moving onto the room filled to the brim with undead.

Zombies filled the room and resting at the back was a large flame skull. The party dealt with the undead in a matter of seconds, Ash and Illieth using their magical capabilities to quickly finish them, however the flame skull proved more difficult. After an intense battle, the party seemed to defeat the skull. The skull was destroy and the bone dust was scattered, in an attempt to stop it from reforming.

Nap time 2: Electric Boogaloo

**18th of Infelnosos, 3rd Thaldas 1034** **2E**

The drakes were assisted out of the cave, thanks Ulrice's silver tongue and *tensers floating disc* carrying them to the bottom of the cave, along with their eggs. The drakes then exited the cave, along with their eggs, and headed out into the wild.

After a successful few days of clearing out the undead and other creatures inhabiting the cave, the party finally felt as though they had finished the job and decided to leave.

The party left feeling far more powerful than when they had entered the cave originally. (DING!)

## Vis

### Session 10 (Second Half)

After four days of travelling, the party travelled to Crigmaw Castle to check on their goblin and bugbear friends. They had cleaned the majority of the rubble and the place was starting to look like a much nicer ruin that before. I think this was the last time the party saw them alive :(

Moving on, the party spent five days travelling back to Phandalin to give Barry his amulet.

**3rd of Junbutor, 1st Ísdas 1034, 2E**

As the party began to approach Phandalin, the party stood atop a hill, with a view of the town. Although this peaceful sight was soon interrupted by an echoing explosion, which rippled through the air. A plume of smoke began to rise from the centre of the village.

The party rushed down to seen what the commotion was all about, discovering several dead guards strewn in the streets, with a thick line of decay stretching its way into the forest, through a new hole in the palisade walls.

The party rushed to find Barry, but only discovered Barry's mother lying injured next to his sister. The party went to try and stop this rampage Barry was in, despite the captain of the guard attempting to stop them.

They discovered Barry about 30 minutes out, following a path of death. Kneeling, in a 20 ft circle of decay, was Barry, although something wasn't right. A incorporeal material had begun to grow over him, a black mist forming some sort of dark armour around him, controlling his every move (looks like this but black and purple).

Barry was unable to control his own actions as this new form that had forced itself out had started to go wild with it's destructive powers, and was slowly starting to climb to cover Barry entirely. As the party discussed possible actions they could take, Barry could not hold it back any longer and the mist had fully taken over and was growing denser. The mist coalesced a deep purple centre eye, large and bulbous, as well as a glowing purple grinning mouth, both magical in nature. It grew purple finger nails which pulsed with dark energy.

Malekith revealed that the druid had given him an amulet that, to his knowledge, was able to reduce and control the curse Barry was carrying.

Illieth and Ulrice slowed the creature down with attacks, which only seemed to damage Barry, while Ashlynn and Malekith used various forms of magic in order to control his movement so the necklace could be placed upon him.

With a crowd of forest animals to hold him in place and a suggestion spell to stop him from moving, Mal was able to hang the amulet around his neck.

The dark energy began to shift, being absorbed into the necklace, almost like a draining sink. The dark mist was fully absorbed into Barry's amulet, which condensed the dark force into a large, ever-shifting purple dome, almost like an amethyst, in the centre. The next stage of the amulet then began, as it began to embed itself into his skin, burrowing inside of Barry, leaving a line around his neck and a arc-reactor like circular gem in his chest.

Heavily wounded and drained, Barry entered a feverish state. The party took him back into the town to say his farewells and left, after the Captain recommended the party take him elsewhere.

After this, the party spent a week of travel heading towards Vis. Along the way, Illieth picked up a companion: it was a strange mix of a lynx and a panther, with a ginger coat. It was dubbed Plynx.

**10th of Junbutor, 2nd Ifritera** **1034, 2E**

The party arrived (late-ish) at the large limestone walls of Vis, walking through the poor slums on the outskirts, filled with refugees from surrounding wars and Visaeries own plights. Heading towards the front entrance, they paid entry to the town and were given a "passport" of a kind, which acts as an ID for trade and safety purposes.

The party headed through the city, walking past the richer area of town, the Five Halls, through the Sanguine Gardens filled with rosewood trees, and headed into Old Town. There they found their way into the Rosebrook Inn, which was a very fine establishment, although expensive for a one night hotel room.

They were privy to a small jazz band and expensive food and drink. The party took up the remaining double bed rooms, each bathing and enjoying luxury, although for some it was just.. average.

### Session 11

**11th of Junbutor, 2nd Titanil 1034 -** 2E 13th of Junbutor, 3rd Shivaden **1034, 2E''''**

During the first day in the city, Ulrice spend the majority of the day searching for rumours, discovering several refugees from Dravania having arrived in the north of the city.

Mal, Ash and Illieth spent most of their time selling items and meeting various craftsmen and merchants, making money for all of their ~~stolen~~ **legally** acquired goods.

Tom Holland bumped into a half-elven lady dressed in religious attire and guided the newcomer towards the chapel in the centre of the Sanguine gardens.

While searching the city, while on the path to the Five Halls, Ulrice encountered a strange magical door. Time seemed to freeze around him. The door intrigued him.

Entering the room, he discovered what appeared to be a hoarder's collection, bookshelf after bookshelf of strange items, tables and work surfaces covered in gubbins.

Ulrice began to dig through the collection of items within the room. As he did so, a cold breeze entered the room. Suddenly a red-skinned tiefling with large black horns had appeared, seemingly crazed, and the door had disappeared. Ulrice engaged the individual, where he informed him the last individual who he remembered was "Jerry", a human skull resting on the floor. He hurriedly asked Ulrice that which his heart desired. After producing several objects, Ulrice asked for The Key, which he was promptly given. The item however was not what he was expecting. It was a strange finger-bone-like item, which split from the tip into several strands, giving it a "shrimp" kind of look. The strand would retract when not in use. Soon after he was given the item, a new door etched itself into the wall and opened for Ulrice to leave through.

Ash, Mal and Ulrice visited the mage's guild for a second time, and with their appointment, inquired about joining and/or learning from the guild, where they were tasked with retrieving a librarian from a temple he had discovered towards the south-west, deep within the Forgone Fens.

After accepting the task, the party discovered that a robbery had taken place the night before and the guard in the city were on very high alert within the Five Halls.

Ash headed for the church to discover the nature of an eldritch statuette that all others had failed to identify. The priest there, Larry Priestman, and the individual Tom helped earlier, now known to be called Mikohafu, took the item and placed it in a stone bowl of water. They began turning the water into holy water, whereby the statuette began to crack. Scared as to what that might cause, Ash took the statuette and buried in the grounds near the chapel. The life around it grew surprisingly fast. After this Mal sold a mace he had discovered in Wave Echo Cave to Miko.

Ash spoke to Miko and told them of their plans to journey south. Interested in what was happening, Miko agreed to travel with the party.

During a night of exploration, Ashlynn ran into a strange purple-skinned tiefling with one horn. Saying he was looking for adventurers, the tiefling introduced himself as Pluck and asked if they would be interested in helping him with a job, in which they were to track and capture a caravan.

The caravan job was offered to the group, however few people jumped at the offer, splitting the party, although all members of the party were still heading south at least.

The group then decided to rest and begin their journey in the morning, after deciding on what to do.

(Off screen to all put Pluck, he was brought into an underground headquarters in a run down tavern known as the Hanging Stone Inn. There he was greeted by a crime lord named Visco Sindrago. He gave him a task to retrieve a box from a caravan, stating that anything else in the caravan would be his for the keeping. Pluck accepted this job, and to ensure he kept his word Visco took a small amount of Pluck's blood.)

## The Forgone Fens

### Session 12

Pluck gathered a small group and waited for the caravan to leave, however it appeared they had left much earlier than expected. Following the tracks they seemed to head south, Mal offered for Pluck to travel with the party at least part of the way as they were heading south as well.

After gathering the party, Mal purchased some untrained horses and a cart, training them as he went they started their travel south towards the Foregone Fens.

After three days of travel, the party arrived in Crowsrun, being followed by a large sum of crows and ravens. This town was a run down dump, devoid of guards and filled with mysterious peoples, who shied away from talking to outsiders. The group met with an older man who ran the local trading post.

He revealed that the town had recently been under the curse of a mysterious entity within the swamp, which arrives every week to demand a tribute, the latest demand being a pregnant woman.

**19th of Junbutor, 4th shivaden 1034,** 2E - 21st of Junbutor, 5th Ifritera  **1034, 2E''''**

After hearing this information, the next day, the trade posts roof was covered in crows and shortly after a grotesquely disfigured, green-skinned figure, seemingly a strange, deformed lizardfolk, tall and humanoid in its features, with a slight hunch and extended arms and fingers as well as long matted white hair, formed of crow feathers and demanded the party enter the swamp.

The party took several canoes into the swamp, with three people being placed on a floating disk, which followed Mal. During the boat ride into the swamp the party was attacked by a group of zombies which took to attempting to drown those in the canoes.

After swiftly defeating the enemies the characters pushed on, following the crows into the swamp further. Eventually the party reached a large patch of land deep within the swamp, eventually stopping at the bottom of a muddy slope, which seemed to rise into the fog.

### Session 13

The party continued to follow their crow guide into the mist, ascending along a stone staircase, eventually reaching a huge stone temple, sunken into the mud of the hill it rests upon, a thick mist below them, the party continued towards the vine and overgrowth covered temple, towards a scent of death and decay.

Entering the temple the party discovered a huge door, and a room covered in murals of strange blue, humanoid creatures with an extended nose and large ears, unfamiliar to anyone. The party continued to explore the ruin, rediscovering several rooms along the way and to the parties surprise, the corpses of several orcs scattered the floor. While this was worrying, the party continued to explore. Ulrice and Pluck headed east while the rest headed west.

The main group entered a tomb through a secret passage within an alchemists laboratory (which closed behind the party).

Meanwhile Ulrice and Pluck entered what looked to be a large, unkempt library, dark and filled with papers, books as well as two shadowy figures and three glowing, slightly transparent blue orbs. In the centre was a five-sided podium of stone. The creatures extended psychotic whispers which compelled Pluck to attack Ulrice.

After fleeing combat, Ulrice looked for the others while pluck waited in the kitchen... before he noticed plant life beginning to sprout around several dead orcs, whose corpses were fairly fresh, and witnessed as their limbs began to move.

Ulrice was now on secret passage duty.

The party read a riddle/poem that was inscribed on each tomb which read "Undying once in truth now dead, We carried swords that claimed our heads. Our step unclean was split asunder, Silent where our kin make thunder."

Attempting to open the lid, Tom H caused a chain reaction of electricity to burst each of the sarcophagi in the room open, leading to an electrical charged battle.

The party then continued to explore the cave, meeting with a series of small plant based humanoids, who's language is unable to be understood or translated.

The creatures refused to let the party come any closer while protecting what the party thought may be the mage they were in search of.

Mal tried his tactic of being impatient and pushing NPCs out of the way to solve a situation, even when they have weapons pointed at you, which has worked a total of zero times. It didn't work.

## The Onxy Portal, The Demon Menace

### Session 14

The party decided to split from the vegepygmies for a time, resting in a half-finished tomb room.

'*22nd of Junbutor, 5th Titanil **1034, 2E'***

After a long rest, Mal used *Speak with Plants*, great spell, to commune with the vegepygmies and eventually, the creator of the pygmies - the moss in the cavern. Mal promised the moss a bear, in return for the mage, in order to satisfy the Mosses need for nutrients. Mal promised to return in at least 45 minutes, regardless of what happened. Spoilers: He didn't return.

While this was happening, Pluck, Miko, Ash and Illieth were investigating a passageway from the original tomb room they had entered. Triggering several traps, Pluck made his way down the corridor, barely avoiding iron balls that wrapped themselves around whatever touched them.

Then he triggered a cutscene.

The same large orcish warlock seen by Malekith in Wave Echo Cave, with shards of green crystal protruding from his arms, stood in a room, facing a smooth black cylinder of stone, symbols bursting outwards across the floor, connecting to five circles, in which five orcs stood. A sixth orc stood in front of the warlock. Reaching out, the warlock seemingly drained the life from the one in front of him, turning him into a mist of black dust while a green energy gathered in his left palm. Condensing purple energy into a cube and pushing it into the pylon. A deep green mist pulsed through the symbols, sapping the orcs standing within them into similar dried up/pile of dust corpses.

The pylon cracked. A large boom cracked through the air. The earth shook. Then silence.

A wicked smile stretched across the tall, hunched orc's hooded face. Reaching for a stick laced with runes, the warlock disappeared in a burst of smoke.

After a short time, the pylon began to crumble, as a dark purple translucent ooze began to coalesce into an oval shape in the centre of the room, a swirling mass. A purple energy began to seep into the stones around it, the stone crumbling and sagging as it spread throughout the room.

Out of this newly formed portal a demon, large in stature, covered in black protruding bones, with toad-like features, pushed its way into the world, along with two maw demons. Spotting Pluck, the group of demons charged towards their prey. All of whom ran away in an instant. Nice one lads. Oh and they got the librarian.

Fleeing upstairs, the party rushed for the exit, while also searching for the book the creepy lizardfolk in the swamp asked for the party to retrieve.

Finding the book seconds before the demons emerged from the floor, with a pulse of purple energy which burst into the sky, causing the clouds to swirl around it as though they were dragged towards the beam, the party fled.

***The purple energy pulsed over the terrain***. The land around the party began to die and corrupt, becoming a mutated mockery of nature.

The party, including the druid, at this point, thought "fair enough, guess we should run and not die". What could go wrong from leaving a slowly spreading, death bringing energy source.

As the party fled, the group found a cart, heavily coated in protective materials, sunken into the swamp, twisted and jagged vines pulling it into the mud and water. Mounting the cart, half the party began to attempt to look it.

At this point, as the party began to sink into the water as they failed to break a door. After *1 and a half hours discussion*, the party took a box of gold and a lead chest, cuboid in shape and locked. Mal, Ulrice and Illieth continued ahead before the others, making a landing around three hours earlier than the next group.

Ulrice convinced Mal and Illieth they should leave.

The rest of the party made a convoluted plot to get everyone back, which ended with the rest of the group back on land, after losing the chest and the book several times due to attacks by mutated crows swooping to claim the items, after calling the witch for help.

Upon arriving in town, a now mostly corrupted lizardfolk witch retrieved the book and proved its validity by casting a spell, which it promptly absorbed and stored inside itself. The Witch then offered the party one question each.

After this, everyone headed back to Vis and left the completely unstopped portal and corruption, happy that they had now retrieved nothing for themselves, except for Pluck, who had achieved his mission.

'*5th of Vloekus, 1st Titanil 1034, **2E'***

The party noticed an increase in celebrations for the soon-to-be tournament, due to the visitation of various neighbouring countries (Beastmen Kingdom, Sin'Dora, Sin'Elione).

Ashlynn discovered that the mage they had rescued was in fact Esmund Vespasian, a transmutation wizard, who seemed very apologetic towards Ash. There was clearly some history between the two. Due to the rescue of the wizard, the group was awarded four library passes, allowing them to view their library without needing a membership.

Oh yeah and if there wasn't already enough on the party's plate, a huge eruption of ash in the north, in the Crigmaw mountain range, had emerged. Also Illieth went on a date with a minotaur.

One day resting.

Time spent travelling: around eight days in total, journey to temple and back, one week back to Vis

### Session 15 & 16

While sleeping, Miko had a premonition of destruction, as well as seeking a bunch of people dying and turning into weird zombie creatures caused by the strange energy being emitted from what used to be the temple in the swamp.

After heading to the mages' guild, they discovered that several members of the guild had now been tasked with clearing the issues, including the receptionist. Esmund was left to look after the guild. The mages however had not returned.

The party decided they should go to deal with it as well, spending seven days travelling to the swamp once more. The corruption had spread an incredible distance by this point, reaching close to Vis. Esmund joined the party with the permission of Emily Minton, the master of the guild.

Mal gets increasingly salty as his cart and horses get injured by a group of strange zombie creatures attacking them on their travel south.

The party reached the town of Crowsrun, however the population is now in piles of corpses which seem to be moving. Undead.

Sneaking through the town, no one cared that multiple of the zombies were previously mages. The party took canoes and rowed back to the location they were before. The dark energies here began to drain the life of those in the swamp, lowering their maximum hit points.

As they party reached where there was once a temple, there was now a huge purple dome of energy, inside several floating rocks laid a path to what appeared to be a spherical dark portal. Runes coated the rim of the dome. Any projectile shot at the portal was stopped in its tracks.

Ulrice entered the dome. A voice enters his head, tempting him to serve it. As the voice appeared in his head suddenly a translucent wall of flesh creature covered in eyes and tentacles. The party, unsure on how to deal with this creatures decided to constructively argue for a few hours instead.

Upon making their way to the centre, in a bid to try and appease it, Ulrice gave it his skeleton key, which it absorbed into the centre portal. A sudden pulse of energy showed that it was embowered. Ash, disagreeing with this action, tried to put it out.

This angered the strange creature, prompting it to bring its ethereal tentacles into the real world. A fight ensued.

Reaching the centre, they entered the strange energy sphere, discovering and subsequently breaking a solid core, revealing an onyx statuette. Suddently everything began to fade.. including the levitation. People made a swift exit, saving themselves from a swift death.

After a lil bit more arguing about something, the party started to row again. Jack gets tea, even though he can't.

Discovering the cart they had left in the town with its horses dead and eaten, Mal turned into a horse and began pulling it back to the city.

The party had a long deserved rest.

'*12th of Vloekus, 2nd Garudiá 1034, **2E'***

Also, theres 2 moons named **Qael** and **Sadin**, the two halves of the name of the Mother of All Gods(Qael'Sadin), AKA the Goddess of Life and Death, bet no one knew that huh.