The Endless Divide - Episode Four

## Synopsis:

Luya Barie set out months ago on an expedition to cross the Endless Divide, also known as The Quiet Lands. She and her crew were seeking the eastern coast of Alune. No one ever heard back from them until one day, a message was sent to the Court of Abishot through some sort of magic. 25 words came from Barie:

"We almost died on journey. Found massive city in quiet lands. Cannot get back. Too dangerous. Met their wizard. They need help. Safe currently. Luya."

Abishot hired the Whispering Cutlass to seek out this lost city of the Divide and its citizens. Over 100 individuals set out on the journey.

This is the fourth adventure in The Endless Divide Saga.

This leg of the journey has the adventurers exploring a strange stone door and seeing where it might lead...

## Mercenaries:

Here you should list out the mercenaries who were on the mission and link to their mercenaries page. Characters should be bullet listed.

* Roars into the Storm "Rits" - Leonin Paladin (Sponsor: Samarthak Khan)

* Bandin Volward - Deep Gnome Rogue (Sponsor: Faithful Boar of the Circle of Faith Guild)

* Styx - Fire Genasi Cleric (Sponsor: Reyak)
* Xanlun - Paladin (sponsor: Apatite Xilon)
* Brutus - Orc Barbarian (Sponsor: Briney Rickington III)
* Silas Draoi - Half-Elf Sorcerer (Sponsor: Harbormaster Procyon)

## Adventure Summary:

Standing before the stone door discovered at the end of Episode Three with five carved runes above the door. With no obvious way to open it, they worked to decipher the runes and ultimately determined the meant: Turned to Stone, Ox/Strong Beast, Spider, Flowers, Door Opening. Thinking that these were instructions for opening the door they began experimenting with the strange flowers growing around the entrance. Silas experimented by rubbing the flowers on the rune and burning them below it to no avail. Eventually the party noticed the older flower petals in the sand in front of the door, clearing away the sand to find a threshold they placed flowers on it and the stone door dropped away, revealing stairs leading down into the dark.

Leading the way, RITS reached the bottom, seeing a burning brazier in the center of the room and a closed door on the opposite side. Just then, he experienced a ghostly apparition move forward from his position and heard it utter the following, "It's dangerous but his son wants one... put the mark on the door and douse all light..." Relaying this to the group, Silas placed the rune that meant "Open Door" on the closed door using *Prestidigitation* that led further in which caused the first door to close behind the party. He then attempted to quench the flames with magic as well but the spell fizzled. Bandin then poured sand on the burning brazier in an attempt to quench the flames in a mundane manner. However, the flame, having some magical property would not go out so easily. Reluctantly, Bandin then poured his black sand that absorbed light into the brazier, which put out the flame for just long enough that the door lifted but immediate began to drop again. Rushing through, the group pulled RITS through just as it slammed shut behind them.

Taking in the surrounding of this new chamber, it appeared more natural with many stalactites hanging from the ceiling. But disturbingly the room was surrounded by statues that upon closer inspection appeared to be petrified individuals, many with looks of horror on their stone faces. Fearing whatever caused this, Silas and Xanlun devised a plan to lure our any threat and get the jump on it. Silas used *Minor Illusion* to create an image of himself in the center of the room while Xanlun cast *Light* on a pebble and tossed it near the image. Catching a glimpse of movement, the party was struck by a horrible moaning wail. While most of the party shrugged off any fear, Silas and RITS were overcome and as the noise struck a cord in their normally stout hearts. then from the ceiling a Cloaker struck down at Brutus, taking him by surprise and doing more damage than normal as he was unprepared for the blow. However this just sent him into a rage of his own. Catching their wits, the adventurers fought back with blade, javelins, arrows, and spells. While dangerous and resilient, it was only a matter of time before the party dispatched the aberration. Exploring the room after the fight, one statue was holding a shortsword that hadn't turned to stone and two others were wearing matching bangles that likewise remained unchanged. Collecting these items, the group rested for an hour to collect themselves and treat Brutus' wounds. Eventually they repaired a chain that would allow then to open a door that led further.

Entering another natural chamber, this one with a sandy floor. There was a single petrified individual facing away that RITS immediately recognized as the ghost from the entrance. Nervous about the sand, Silas used the wooden sand fish he had found on the previous adventure as bait, releasing it to swim in the sand across the room. As it sped away three Basilisks burst from the sand and began chasing it. Taking the closest one first the party slew it before the others could react and surrounded the second. It avoided their blows until Silas cast *Dissonant Whispers* on it, doing damage but more importantly causing it to try to flee, giving the rest of the party the opportunity they needed to cut it down in an avalanche of blows. The third attempted to petrify RITS but he shrugged off the effect and the final Basilisk died shortly after. Finding a locked door at the end of this room, they realized the petrified individual was holding a key in his hand, he was obviously fleeing towards the door when his life ended. Xanlun remembered that Basilisk blood could reverse petrification. collecting some blood, they retrieved the key and Silas also unpetrified the individual's coin purse. Unable to actually save the individual, the party took several more vials of the blood for a future emergency and entered the final chamber.

There they found a small shrine to Solisti. Bandin recovered a glass dagger that would deal extra radiant damage in sunlight on a critical hit and a bar of soap that would surely make an individual more charismatic after washing through it. Leaving through a passage up they returned to the daylight above.

## Outcome:

Having cleared the shrine of any further threats, the adventurers found themselves once again on the surface. Tired but in good spirits, they realized that they were now separated from the rest of the caravan and would need to find their war back before they perished in the desert...

## Adventure Rewards:

* Shortsword +1 (Xanlun)
* Pair of Cuffs of Sending (1x 25-word message/day to other wearer and vice versa, requires attunement) (... and ...)
* Glass Dagger (Bandin)
* Bar of Soap (10 uses) (...)
* 14 gold (Silas)
* 3x Vials of Basilisk Blood (1x each to Silas, Xanlun, ...)
* Xanlun leveled up to 2
* RITS leveled up to 3