Main Story 7: Narration and Supplement to Story

**Previous: Main Story 6: Outline for the Rest, Staff Stats**

**Next: Main Story 8: The Search for the Other Pieces**

Upon the party returning to Valhurst, a message is received by the party and all affiliates. Each feel a jerk in their medallion, in which forces them to look at a statue within the town. Upon making eye contact, they hear a voice in their head, any attempt of seeking the origin leads to the effects of a sending spell.

“Greater threats loom and the court requires your presence. Appear in person or be prepared by midnight, the Queen wishes to discuss the matter urgently.”

Upon entering the court, they notice the Queen in her throne, however her throne seems to have receded further into the darkness, such that the only part of her visible is one bare-hand and a pair of silver-skinned legs.

The Queen waits silently it seems for the court to come to completion, and the party hears commotion coming through the wooden doors behind them. Tobias is fighting with the guards as he awakens from his coma, and is thrown through the doors with force, while the doors are closed behind him. The Queen, when all essential personnel enter, begins to speak in an unfamiliar voice. It lingers on words longer than it spends speaking them in a husky voice.

“Do you feel that?”

The air is freezing in the silent throne room, yet not uncomfortable. The chill in the air seems to be caused by a nervous tension created by an unfamiliar scene in a familiar place. As the party looks about, the queen no longer in the sunlight passing through the large windows, the large windows covered by thick, black curtains, and torchlight illuminating the hall, landing on the faces of the now uncovered heads of the hooded figures that usually lined the walls closest to the doors.

They are Deathlock wights.

“Our immediate focus, the war, is no longer. Redwyn and its citizens will have to wait for their freedom, since it seems there is a new and much greater threat. Who here is aware of something called the Staff of Power?”

“Who here is aware of the demon lord Fraz Urb’Luu?”

“I have an acquaintance with a history with the lord. I just so happen to know that this old friend of mind was in cohorts with the lord, and I have a suspicion he may have taken up this bad habit once more. Ohmohren.. Where is he, and why has he destroyed his medallion?”

“This explains a lot. Fraz Urb’Luu is seeking the Staff of Power, and I have reason to believe he has already found a fragment of it. No amount of divination magic that I can conjure will allow me to find Urb’Luu, and my acquaintance has been given a similar power by him, but no amount of magic can clear a messy paper trail.”

“Find the Silvertongues, find their leader, the Serpent, and whatever you do, keep Fraz Urb’luu from assembling the staff, or watch an entire world rise in unity to destroy the very grounds they walk upon.”

Voltuun should realize now that the lead on the Silvertongues is relevant, and that he should seek out Guenevere in Torvas.

The return to Torvas:

Upon reaching the city once more, everything seems to be business as usual, minus the massive amounts of patrols about the town, as well the massive sprawling wheat fields to the south of Torvas are no longer filled with wheat, as it seems it has been harvested for the season. The bite of the cold air from the mountains to the Northeast reminds the party that Fall is ending, and Winter is soon. The fields instead now are filled with long rows of green sproutings, newly sowed soil forming mesmerizing straight lines across acres of land.

The Search

Onir:

* If asked, he will join the party to help them destroy the Silvertongue Hideout. He’ll also only recognize Kristianna, Tobias, and Shawarma and ask what happened to the rest of them.

“The Silvertongues have been a thorn in the side of civilized society since they sprouted up about 10 years ago. If people as powerful as yourselves are here to take them out,     none of my men will stop you… in fact you’ll be taking care of a few pretty nice bounties…  I’ll be damned if I won’t be a part of it. We haven’t been able to track down their hideout but we’re pretty sure it’s somewhere near the south side of town. If you find out where the hideout is, come get me and I’ll bring the big boys down on them.”

Falk:

* If asked about a Guenevere or a wife, he will have no idea who they’re talking about, as his mind was completely wiped of all knowledge about Guenevere. If asked about a son he will tell them Naran runs a stall in the bazaar.

“I’m so proud of Naran, deciding to set up a stall and sell goods all on his own. And he’s been doing very well for himself, too!”

* If he’s asked who his son’s mother is he will stammer for a second, seem very confused, then shake it off and tell them he adopted Naran.
* Upon returning after his memories have been restored: the stonemason’s body seems in utter conflict. He remains diligent in his work, but his stare is blank and far-seeing. You see his chisel imperfectly shaving away what seems to be the corner of a rectangular brick, which he then lies down in a pile of more disheveled and malformed bricks. When he sees the party, he will fondly smile, the wrinkles in his face making him near unrecognizable as they bunch around his tired eyes. “Oh! Friends.. Right, I remember you. You’ve helped my boy find his peace of mind, I wish I could have done the same. The deeds your party has done for this family.. They’re.. Unthinkab- unimaginable. Thank you.” The signs of a strained smile twitch at the corners of his mouth
* (Arcana / Insight 16)The magic of wiping and inserting memories has nearly destroyed his mind to the point where nearly all he remembers is what Naran gave him: Loving memories of his wife, a responsibility to his son, and the friendship of the party. That’s it.) oof

Naran: He’ll be running his stall in the bazaar during the daytime and at his and his father’s house at night.

* If asked about a Guenevere he’ll tell them she was his mother, and she died in the attack on the city a month ago.
* If asked about why his father doesn’t have any memory of her he’ll tell them he used some sort of magic to make himself forget about her.

“I found a note left on my bed after we came back to the city a few days after the attack. It was from my father, saying he couldn’t bear the pain any longer and that he sent a group of travelers to get the Scroll of Amnesia from Lathander’s shrine. I thought it was just a tale but it must’ve been true because he’s had no signs of sorrow or remembrance of my mother since it happened. I’ve tried reminding him of things about her but he doesn’t ever take notice. He even gave all her stuff away to the travelers so he wouldn’t be reminded… He didn’t even realize the key to her stall lockbox was in there”

* If Kristianna says she has the key to her box, he’ll ask if they were the ones that got the scroll for his father. If they say yes (there’ll be pretty much no way to deceive him that it wasn’t at least some of them, DC will be a nat 20 with at least a +7 deception and I mean why in the h\*ll would they want to deceive him that’s such a Jake thing to do).

If they ask to open the lockbox, he’ll tell them they can if they go back to Lathander’s shrine and get the Scroll of False Mind for him.

“If you found the Scroll of Amnesia there as the tales say, then you must have found the other scrolls there too! If I can get the Scroll of False Mind, I can put the memory of my mother back into my father’s mind. Do that and you can even have any gold we find in the lockbox.”

* They can persuade him to let them open it anyway but they’ll have to tell him where it is and pass a high persuasion (DC 21)
* Upon returning the scroll to Naran:    “Is that.. it? No gems, no shine, just some moldy piece of paper..?”    “Okay well.. Time to go back to how things were. My dad, he’s the best mason we’ve got in this crummy town, and I hope he realizes more people need him than just me. I hope it’s enough. Thank you, adventurers. I’ll make sure he remembers you all fondly, he was always a man who appreciates loyalty.

The Shrine of Lathander (Revisited)

See drive for Map of shrine

This time, the Shrine has changed! A little.

Encounter Base in Main Chamber:

3 Wights, 3 Wraiths. (Heart)

OR 2 Galeb Duhr, 1 Earth Elemental (Earth)

As the party approaches the shrine of Lathander, they see the relatively small square marble structure in a state of good-repair. Atop the shrine is a statue of a man holding a newborn baby in his arms. The doors to the shrine seem to have rotted away, leaving only metal hinges behind in wake.

Inside the shrine:

Entering the shrine the state of repair worsens, and the walls maintain a layer moisture that seems to have attracted insects and moss alike. Along the back wall is an engraving of the man from the statue above the shrine standing in an open field, heralded by the rising sun behind him. In the corners of the room, there seems to be empty circles of dust (as if some sort of object had been removed from there) Below him is the word “LA---NDER,” each of the letters in their own square tile.

The left wall has a small engraving of words: “The pounding of a drum binds the soul, and when it ends, so it rises.” Below it is a small outcropping from the wall in the shape of a small bowl

The right wall has the following engraving: “The strongest stone and the softest clay, all molded of the same.” Below this engraving is also a small outcropping from the wall in the shape of a small bowl.

The Solution:

(left): heart, blood is put into bowl

(right): earth, dirt from outside is put into bowl

Upon investigating or attempting to interact with the letters: each comes out of the wall rather easily. The remaining letters to Lathander are scattered about the floor.

For the Left encounter, the room is filled with loose dirt that rises sharply at the edges, where the tops of the impromptu ramps are lined with massive boulders.

For the Right encounter, the room is surrounded by a near deafening and almost indeterminate source of a heartbeat-like pounding, still air making it hard to breathe.

The party continues down through a door in the room down a hall that opens into a large room with two chests on the back wall. Two torches light as they enter. An inscription on the wall above them reads: “Choose wisely.”

Each of the boxes is engraved in a strange writing. No check or ability that deciphers unknown languages will reveal what they say. However, a perception check will reveal they are all written in common, just in a fancy and difficult to read calligraphy. The chests read the names of the scrolls and a simple arcana or insight check will reveal what they do.

Scroll of Mind Wipe (Erases a specific event or thing of the caster’s choosing from the mind of the target)

Scroll of False Mind (Implants a false memory of the caster’s choosing on the target)

After taking one of the scrolls, its chest will close itself and be sealed. If one of them attempts to open another chest, the torches will go out and the room will be lit up by a new engraving on the back wall in a blood red hue:“I am not foolish, but I am merciful.”

Mind Wipe: If mostly uses magic: has no memory of spellcasting,has no spell slots (retains cantrips). If physical weapons:has no memory of how to use weapons, loses all proficiencies with weapons.

Scroll of False Mind: The person who tried to open it has very vivid and clear memories of another party member with whom they were very close being with them [a randomly generated NPC].

Both wear off after 2 long rests.

The Lockbox: contains a silver ring with an insignia on the inside (an upside down triangle inscribed in a circle with a snake in the middle), 30 platinum, a gold-diamond ring (engagement ring worth about 1100 gp).

The Silvertongues “Outpost”

At this point, those with a passive perception of 19 will realize there have been shady figures lurking nearby occasionally for a few hours.

If they look around on the south side of town, shopkeepers and bartenders will be apprehensive about questions about the Silvertongues. If any of them speak Thieves’ Cant they will understand one of the shopkeepers tell them to look in the alley behind the shop (The Pizzeria). Investigating the area behind the shop (DC 18), they will find a sewer grate with the triangle-circle insignia carved into it. Wearing the ring and putting it on the carved insignia opens the grate.

If they don’t pass this DC on their first try or take too long to figure out how to open it, those with a high enough passive perception will notice multiple hooded figures walk into the alley, 2 from either side. 2 Assassin 4 Bandits: 60 ft alleyway (Roll stealth +9 for each Assassin or just take passive 19, one behind each pair of bandits). If they avoid this encounter it will be waiting for them when they exit.

Once they enter, any who speak Thieves’ Cant will be able to easily lead them through the sewer a short way to a small wood door with the triangle-circle insignia on it. Behind the door is a large hallway that leads to a large circular room with mossy stone brick walls and drips of water occasionally falling from the ceiling, the smell of the sewer now being overpowered by the smoky smell of the incense (lavender) burning on the table. Standing around that table are 6 hooded figures, one in full plate armor. (Blackguard & Warlock of Fiend & 4 Swashbuckers)

(The Blackguard wields a Glaive of Life Stealing +1, Warlock of Fiend wields Wand of Lolth: +1 Mace 1d6 fire, +1 wand that cannot be disarmed constructed of Steel Spider Legs)

There is also a small locked box.

The box can be opened by lockpicking or hitting it really hard with a blunt weapon. It’s a simple lock. There is a letter inside.

The letter reads:

I have the claw. That’s one step closer to achieving our goals.

Delay sending any more men to Belhaven. The piece we lost to the Dust Caravan is our top priority for now. There were nearly two dozen men escorting it and while I am angered by their failure, if they were so easily ambushed then the Caravan is clearly not to be taken lightly anymore and their existence can no longer be tolerated. We will need to organize all the men we have in Redwyn to find and destroy their base of operations in the desert to take back what’s ours.

Keep careful watch for a large group of travelers that I believe are helping Kiaranselee assemble the staff for herself, including a blue-skinned mage woman, a warforged warrior, a dragonborn knight with a magic javelin, and a sneaky half-tiefling, a mage of fire, an ogre, and a bard of high degree, among others. They shouldn’t be hard to spot. If you encounter the half-tielfling, do not under any circumstances kill him. He is to be taken alive. When you’ve captured him, send word to me immediately. The rest can be disposed of however you please. They left Valhurst what will be about two (2) weeks ago by the time you receive this message.

You have your orders.

-The Silver-Tongued Serpent

Hex will recognize Belhaven as the city of Primus, and the city where he was created.

He remembers his creator, an old gnome artificer named Tarren Soong.

The Open House

BUT FIRST THERE ARE REPERCUSSIONS

sO YEA HTHE GUARDS ARE GOINNA BE LIKE A LOT

(Party group rolls stealth against perception or passive of Azers)

“HALT, [hp lovecraft’s cat, plural]” -guards

What happens if they get caught?:

Are confronted by a group of Azers (each patrol may contain 6), and the group may be brought into custody. If they resist, Azers will attempt to apprehend,and a total of 10 patrols are within the city.

If they are brought into custody, they will by Geas’d in Redwyn by the Diviner they attempted to kill, and they may not lie to, nor harm a citizen of Redwyn. They will be branded with the mark of the Vulgar Fool for the duration

$12624

There is a property for sale near the Keep of Torvas, by which Lysandre heard about from the seduced older man at the auction. The open house occurs the night after they reach the city, and holds spectacularly to speculation. The building is a 4 bedroom, 4 bath, with a courtyard and large yard in the back.

https://www.familyhomeplans.com/house-plan-58272#images

**Next: Main Story 8: The Search for the Other Pieces**