Adventure 3

**Real World Date: 10/16/2016**

**In Game Dates: September 27th, 5000 M.E. - October 4th, 5000 M.E.**

**XP: 336 (Total: 696)**

## Climbing Further Down

The party catches their breath inside the Redspire Mines. After the party rests for a little bit, they search the storage room they are in. They find a few trade goods and a small cave collapse in the back of the room, creating a tunnel leading down. The party quietly head down the tunnel to find a series of chambers that are carved from stone, not natural.

The first room is filled with strange religious writings and a large statue of a creature known as the Kuo-Toa. The party notices something inside the statue's mouth, while Erevan notices the arcane trip wire that will set off a trap. After he disables it, they realize the object inside the mouth of the statue is actually a trap that shoots flames, which had left scorch marks behind on the floor.

## Diving Further Down

 **Location** | Redspire Mines - Kuo-Toa Temple

The party ventures further down a set of stairs, Erevan narrowly avoiding a pit trap as they go. They head down one more set of stairs to find a final chamber with water a little over two feet deep in the room. There are also five Kuo-Toa waiting to do battle. The party quickly dispatches with them, then notices an opening in the back which leads deeper underwater.

Tying off some rope, Thorgrim volunteers to swim and inspect. He discovers two tunnels underwater. One is calm and heads down 100 feet then goes up into a singular chamber, seemingly the assassin's hideout. The second tunnel has a strong current, just underneath and moving perpendicular to the first tunnel. Ignoring the dangerous tunnel with the current, the party makes their way to the lair of their prey.

## The Assassin's Lair

 **Location** | Redspire Mines - Assassin's Lair

The party emerge from the water and began to look around. Before they can scout too far, a surprise attack from Ulmare Varysin hits Rhagnar, almost taking him out with poison. The party scrambles, spreading out across the cave and eventually taking the assassin down.

Thorgrim decides to cut off the assassins left hand in rage. They tie up the assasssin and loot his body and his lair. After looting they decide to wake the assassin up so they can take him across the water. He is obviously stressed when he discovers he has lost a hand. After Thorgrim scouts the tunnel with the current, he discovers they it leads out to a body of water and the surface. Holding onto the assassin, they move out and up to the surface.

## Coming Back Home

The party travels for several days back to the city of Sanye. They avoid a border patrol on the border of Kombray and Marta. They make a quick stop in the Eska Forest. They discover the area that had been covered in Blight has now returned to nature. Maple comes out to greet them, indicating the regrowing of the plants was his doing. The party asks to speak to Thamior Diamonddew. Maple sends a message to him, summoning him. A large lion emerges from the trees, then changes into Thamior.

They explain what they have been up to, and why they were on the run. Thamior gives them a magical flute, which they can use to ask for aid from him whenever they are near the Eska Forest. He then reveals the reason he was absent from the forest the last time they visited was he was looking into the dark dealings surrounding Randal Buckman. They reveal the assassin in their custody is the one who killed him. Thamior casts a spell on the assassin. He claims that his mind can't be read, but Thamior seems satisfied with the result of the spell.

## Coming Back Around

After parting ways with Thamior Diamonddew and Maple, they head towards the city of Sanye. They approach the gate and claim that they have the murderer of Randal Buckman. The guards emerge from the city gates and surround them, along with a noble, Rathas Jelmoor, who runs out shortly behind them. He tells them that after viewing the evidence, the party isn't the suspects, but merely people of interest. They are allowed to gather evidence to prove theitr innocence.

After arresting the assassin, they bring the party to the jail and courthouse to allow them to gather evidence. Thorgrim and Wrax inspect the body, the wound, and the poison. Aust inspects the crime scene. Rhagnar and Erevan interrogate the assassin. Combined, they are able to find enough evidence to clear their name entirely.

## Not Quite Finished

As they emerge from the courthouse, they are greeted by Belkar, who has repaired and returned their Wagon, returning the favor to Aust. They then go to a meeting with Rathas Jelmoor at his own house. Sitting in his study, he explains what has happened. The documents they returned were able to convince the government and the ambassadors from the other nations to hold off on declaring war. So they were successful in their first mission. Also, the fanatics charmed Verydian Elves have started to slowly be drained of life, some of them completely turning into undead. Whatever is causing this is draining them of their life energies.

The noble who accused them of murder, Ignatius Umberlin, has mysteriously gone missing. It looks like he packed up quickly and disappeared. Aust also reveals the contents of the Last Written Word of Randal Buckman, which implied someone outside the city was trying to influence events to lead to war, possibly someone from Kombray. Knowing all this information, Rathas decides that they must complete the mission Randal Buckman originally intended for them to do: scout the Veryd Forest and identify what is causing the chaos.

Before they leave, Thorgrim and Rhagnar check in with Ambassador Kildrak. He okays them going on this mission, but says a letter arrived for Rhagnar. It is from an old military **friend** who sent a letter to let him know that the military of Rondat has formally discharged him for his legal troubles with the murder of Randal Buckman. Even though his name has been cleared, he must still return to Rondat and go through the proper procedures to clear his name there and resume his active duty in the military. The **friend** also notes that he wrote him because the military had no intention of notifying him, so he figured he would give him a heads before he returns to Rondat.

## On The Road Again

Their rations stocked up, their Wagon repaired, the party begins to travel to the city of **Xon**, where the ship known as the **Green Lady** and its Captain, **Erris Tilmore**, are waiting to take the party out into the The Channel. The plan is to sail around to the peninsula on the north end of the Veryd Forest where the **Duke's Palace** is located, and is supposedly the source of all the chaos that is occurring.

After a couple days on the road, they stop and see a group of farmers playing a dice game. A few of the party join in, winning a few silver pieces. They enjoy a brief respite from the chaos of the region and enjoy the company or normal folk before they get back in their Wagon and continue traveling towards danger...