Legion Lost

## Introduction

*The professor stood at the door to the tomb, running his hand over the engravings. The language was old, one that very few knew. His gatekeeper companion grabbed his wrist before the professor could grab the build in handle.* "This is as far as you can go. Beyond that door are things that no mortal mind can and should try to comprehend." *The old bugbear said, his tone that of a parent warning a child not to play wiht fire. The professor pulled his hand away from the door, sighing in acceptance, though part of him pined to know what rested beyond the door.* "What to the engraving say? I have never seen this language before." *The professor inquired, pointing to the unknown text. The druid squinted at the glyphs, his sight dulled with age* "It is the language of the daelkyr, the ancient enemies of my sect. It says roughly "Let those who seek knowledge hear the legion lost." They were madness incarnate. They are the reason I can let you go no further then this door." *The professor nodded, and turned to his assistant.* "Derith! Get ready, we make we set up camp here! We will start with this room and work our way out!" *He yelled to the young changeling. She nodded and turned starting to unpack supplies.*

*Derith ran from the ruins, her fear preventing her from controlling her own innate shapeshifting. In her mind she heard the screams of the professor and the bugbear, saw the shadows reach out from the door to grab them. The door she opened. It wasn't her fault. She swore she heard the professor tell her to from the chamber up ahead. The the bugbear had said that it should be safe at the time. But, when they came back into the room, they yelled at her, berated her for it. And the others were yelling at her to!... Others... what others? It was only her, the professor, and their guide. But the others, she heard them yelling.* "Quarion" *she thought* "I need to find Quarion. He has friends... he can" *Her thought was cut off by the sound of a sudden crash not far behind her, and so she continued to run.*

*Quarion sat in the Fallen Sun. Derith sat at the seat across from him. She was filthy, exhausted and in shock. Cassandra brought out hot tea and some soup for the girl. Though she just stared at it, lost in thought.* "Poor girl." *Cassandra said as she checked her over for wounds.* "She's covered in scratches, and looks like she hasn't slept in days." *Quarion closed his book. and rubbed the bridge of his nose* "From what I could get out of her, she slept maybe 30 hours in the last month. She RAN here. She should be dead from exhaustion. Did she say anything other then my name before you called me?" *Cassandra shook her head.* "No, nothing." *Before she could elaborate further, Bunker poked his head into the entrance of the tavern.* "The others are arriving Madam Cassandra."

## Expedition Summary

The party, consisting of Hallorn d'Lyrandar, Mollie, Mik'hael the Builder, Lassa d'Medani, and Landar Stormwind, found themselves at the *Fallen Sun, a* tavern located in Sharn. They had been gathered at the request of fellow Wayfinder, Quarion Silverfrond. The aid of an old friend of his, professor Benvador Ashencrown, had arrived in Sharn seeking help after the professor disappeared while examining some goblin ruins in southern Breland. Quarion had arranged for the Wayfinders to go to try and find the professor, using the professor's invaluable research as a way to the the Foundation to fund the venture. He also arranged for guide to go with them to add legitimacy to expedition, Ketaal, as he is an expert in Dhakaani Empire. After the mission was explained, the party, Ketaal, and the professor's aid headed for the small island.

As they traveled down the Dagger River, the aid, Derith, did the best she could to explain what had happened. The professor, and her had arrived on the island, and had made contact with the island's residents, a group of Gatekeeper druids. They had been given permission to explore the ruins, under the condition that one of the Gatekeepers stay with them to make sure that nothing dangerous was disturbed. While examining one area they had come across a door that they were told not to open. However, while the professor and the guide were in another area, Derith swore she heard the professor tell her to open the door, so she did. Past that she only remembered running, and arriving in Sharn, looking for Quarion. As the party arrived to the island, they saw that it had been surrounded by a storm. An attempt by the druids to keep what was behind the door on the island.

Arrival at the island was met with the sight of a humanoid figure running from the woods, only to be pulled back into them. When the party went to investigate, they found two of the professors journals, and a Khyber dragonshard. Not long after, an undead, which turned out to be professor Ashencrown, crawled out of the woods, his legs and arms torn off. He explained that the creatures behind the door were some sort of plant zombies, and that the druids had created the storm to keep them on the island, as they had an aversion to salt water. The party then made camp for the sudden night that befell them.

During the night they were attacked by three of the plant zombie creatures, being caught off guard.The creatures showed how resilient they were, their bodies covered in an armor that seemed to resemble bark. It was reveled that the creatures they fought were formally druids from the island, transformed by one of the creatures from behind the door. In the morning, the party made preparations to head into the woods, and the professor teleported Ketaal, Derith, and himself back to Sharn.

After heading into the woods, the party encountered more of the creatures from behind the door. This time, they appeared to have once been wolves, one of them even having been a winter wolf. After this the party met Gorith, one of the Gatekeepers. He was pursued by another of the creatures, this one intelligent. It taunted him, but the party managed to to defeat it, severing its head just above the jaw. Before he falls, he mentions an entity called the Fungus Mother.

After a night's rest, Gorith brought the party to the ruins, and the door that Derith opened, by transporting them through a tree. When they arrived they found the druids maintaining the storm, as well as their bodyguard, a half-orc named Terisvor, who Landar encountered before in Sharn. Soon after their arrival, a skeletal troll emerged from the door. He proceeded to crush an orb, causing a gargantuan creature to emerge form Gorith, killing the druid in the process. While Terisvor dealt with the skeletal troll, the party fought the creature that had emerged from Gorith. Upon its defeat, the creature fell into dust. Hallorn proceeded to seal the door, it last denizen behind it closing the door in front of him, waving farewell as it did. As the shard was put back in the door, the seal was renewed, any of the creatures that still remained on the island became inert. The party then headed back to Sharn.

In Sharn, the party returned to the *Fallen Sun.* There, after telling their story to Cassandra, they learned that another set of ruins dedicated to the Fungus Mother existed in the Mournlands. The party was then payed for the job well done.

Else where, the entity behind the door said that it had only just begun, and Derith found she started to develop bark like growths.

## Epilogue

*The trip back to Sharn is uneventful, and you soon find yourselves sitting around a table at the Fallen Sun. After recounting everything to Cassandra and Bunker, a noticeable look of concern crosses her face.* "It... can't be" *She runs upstairs, and soon comes down with a journal. She starts to thumb through it* "After my curse was lifted, I found my old journal. Daros thought I was obsessive with writing everyth... THERE!" *She falls silent, reading the page, the look of concern changing to a look of dread.* "I knew I had heard of the Fungus Mother before. It was while we were in the Mournland, just before Daros..." *She cut's herself off* "There were some goblin ruins that we found. They mentioned her." *As soon as she finishes her sentence, Quarion walks in, talking to someone behind him. Soon after follows the professor, new arms and legs procured.* "Well, I am glad to see you all made it out" *professor Ashencrown says.*(edited)

*Quarion pulls a set of envelopes out of his pocket, and hands one to each of the party members* "Your wages, for the expedition. Seeing as how you brought the professor back, the higher ups decided that it was just as good as bringing back his research." *Qaurion smiles* "Thank you. The professor is one of my closest friends. You could say he had a hand in me being here today." *The professor lets out an audible grown. Cassandra walks up to Mollie.* "I'm sorry dear, but I need that axe back."

*Sitting in the darkness, the shape of a decrepit woman watches. Insects crawl around and on her, yet she seems unfazed.* "Yes mother, it has begun. Soon they will know your love."

*Derith sits down on her bed, taking a much deserved vacation in Aundair. She scratches at a small rash at her side, the skin feeling scabbed and rough. When she pulls her hand way, she finds bark shaving in her hand. A look of unbridled terror crosses her face as she lets out a blood curdling scream*

*The End ?*

## In-Character Transcript

Ping @chae in Discord when adventure is complete and she'll export & upload transcript here.