Embedded Files
Cultist Interruptus
PREVIOUSLY - CAMPAIGN DIARIES 66 - BENEFIT FROM HELL
CAPTURE 0:05
When last we left our heroes, The Owlbear League had infiltrated the Cassalanter's estate and prevented the mass murder of 100 people through their poisoning by the leaders of the local Cult of Asmodeus, Victorio and Amelia Cassalanter. Joined by priestess Valletta of the house of Gond, they surreptitiously cast remove poison on the food at the Feast of the Cassalanters and saved an unwitting hundred plus indigent people of Waterdeep. Valetta had departed as The League was figuring out how to re-acquire The Stone of Golorr, not to get the million dragons it secrets away, but to save their kidnapped wards from the clutches of The Xanathar Guild. K'ronk snuck in with his ring of invisibility, but was detected and magically charmed by Victorio. A battle ensued, and Immeral raced back to get The League to help and the rushed the Cassalanter estate in disguise, confusing the guards, but then getting into a battle where Victorio was mortally wounded in his library (C3) as was one of his guards.
K'ronk shakes off the effects of the charm spell.
Immeral says "crap, killing is against the code legal, right?"
They consider revivifying Victorio, but there is also a dead guard who may be innocent, if not in on the Cult of Asmodeus.
Nowhere says "Leave them, we can get our story straight if needed."
There are footfalls of approaching guards coming down the stairs from above, and Immeral ducks into the room "We have company!"
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Suddenly a pair of children runs into the room, it is the Cassalanter children and they see Nowhere standing over their dead father with blood dripping off her sword Icerazor.
The children scream and cry "father, father!" over and over, getting covered in his blood as they cling to his still warm corpse. They then scream out a name "Willifort!"
The League hears sound of more footsteps approaching, and Immeral tucks into the room.
K'ronk says "Wall of Ice?" but the others are unsure.
Nowhere says to Seraphina "Revivify Vittorio now! We tie him up and we make him tell us where The Stone is or we threaten his kids."
Atlas starts wrapping Victorio in ropes as the children fight her "Leave daddy alone!"
"Kids, get away, we're trying to save him!" barks Nowhere.
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A tiefling man with the largest horns any have ever seen steps into the room, and seeing the situation, charges into Nowhere. His arms grow larger and rip apart his sleeves as he batters the tiefling ranger. Nowhere is bludgeoned and knocked by with his club-like arms.
CAPTURE 17:01
The sounds of many more steps getting closer can be heard from the stairway.
Nowhere uses his staff of frost to block off the way to the stairs with a wall of ice. Leaving The League a way out through the Entrance Hall (C1).
Seraphina yells "back off or I kill Vittorio instead of reviving him."
Willifort looks confused for a moment, but he dives at Seraphina and he clubs her aside. Vittorio is seconds from permanent death.
Immeral casts ray of sickness and the beam of putrid green energy blasts Willifort in the back, staggering him as he is poisoned and his pallor changes unhealthily, and he nearly tumbles into the children while standing over Vittorio and they grab his waste.
From the corner, Dain considers that a javelin might hit the kids, but takes the risk and lets it fly at the man. The tiefling twists, avoiding the worst of the javelin, but it still hits with a flesh wound cutting through his shirt and tearing his flesh. The man starts bleeding and Dain throws a second which misses, and the kids screams at the javelin nearly impails them.
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Atlas unleashes a flurry of blows at Willifort and hammers him beside the screaming kids. She ends with a vicious kick that sends him flying and he lands prone. She moves past the kids and lands more kicks on the tiefling. The kids are crying "They're beating up Williford!"
K'ronk casts fire bolt at Willifort, ignoring the close quarters and the flamable nature of the library. Despite the disadvantage of trying to hit the club-handed tiefling crawling on the floor, K'ronk manages to hit, burning the man. Willifort looks on his last legs. Nowhere swings Icerazor at Williford, trying to avoid the children, and she manages to stab the man, and he falls unconscious. The children are screaming. Nowhere continues tying up Vittorio with the rope of climbing.
Seraphina, knowing only seconds remain, casts revivify on Vittorio.
While this is happening, Willifort's dead body transforms, revealing a doppleganger!
Vittorio takes in a heaving breath and his eyes flutter open as Atlas finishes tying the man up over the protests of his children.
Pounding can be heard on the ice wall K'ronk has raised, but it quickly stops. Obviously they are working their way around.
Dain retrieves his javelins. "We're going to have company again in a moment."
The unconscious guard starts moaning on the floor.
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Suddenly the door from the gardens to the reading room (C4), slams open and in rushes Amelia Cassalantar and two of the strange guards from the party. She moves through the open doorway into the library (C3) and yells "Get away from my husband! Who are you?"
"I just brought your husband back from death's door." says Seraphina as Amelia clutches at Vittorio and defends the kids.
She looks confused, and the kids are screaming in terror.
Nowhere says "We need The Stone."
Amelia turns angry "That's what this is about?"
Nowhere continues "Your nimblewright made a mess of our tavern, killed a friend and injured our kids. We could probably overlook all that, but The Eye has kidnapped the kids and want the stone. You hurt us and you are in my way."
"Let the guards take Vittorio and the children out of here." Amelia says.
"No, we need the stone before anyone leaves. We know about your nasty cult and we don't care, we just need the stone."
Amelia turns to Vittorio.
"Give them The Stone, we're all safe now, we don't need it." Vittorio winces.
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"Guard Vittorio and the children" she says to her guards, and she leaves back out through the garden.
Moments go by, and Vittorio rises to at least sit beside his crying children. The guards take their place in defense of him. "You have no idea what sort of enemies you have made tonight." Vittorio says. "The followers of lord Asmodeus will tear you from this world. Grbodan, Hannach, drop your disguises."
The two guards drop the illusions that keep them human-looking, and are revealed to be a pair of bearded devils.
The one looks ready to untie Vittorio and Nowhere warn "Not until we've got the stone."
"Who are you working for?" says Vittorio.
"Nobody." Nowhere says, we got involved when your nimblewright fireballed our tavern.
"That stupid machine!" Vittorio states. "You know you can't move all that gold by yourselves. We can still bargain. We can get the location of the gold before you give The Stone to The Eye. Then you will have some leverage, otherwise they'll never give you the children. They won't show weakness like that."
"You have no idea how powerful our lord is, with our church on your side, we can accomplish anything, including getting your children back."
"He's my father." says Nowhere.
"You would be revered by our followers, could command devils and your own army of believers, a family that would worship you as the psion of Asmodeus." Vittorio states.
"I have my own family." and Nowhere looks to the rest of The League who nod.
Amelia returns and holding up The Stone says "How do I know you will hold up your end of the bargain?"
Immeral pulls out the wand of abberation detection. "First, we need to see if any of you are compromised by The Eye. This will not do anyone harm." and he activates the wand, but nobody appears to be intellect devourers. The stone lights up with a red glow that startles Amelia, but she hangs on to it, and they manage not to start fighting.
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Immeral continues "Next, my party will leave, I will stay behind for The Stone, your leverage is the dead guard there. We run a legitimate business and want to stay in Waterdeep, you could get the City Watch after us, but then we might reveal some things too. It's in our best interests to not speak of this again."
Vittorio grimaces and says "You've made enemies you cannot handle."
Nowhere says "We've been told that before" and she and the rest of The League starts leaving through the reading room (C3) into the courtyard.
"May I have that rope?" Immeral asks, and the devils start untying Vittorio. There is a moment where Immeral thinks Vittorio will cast a spell at him, but it is actually Amelia who casts a healing spell on her husband.
When they're all out of the room, Amelia hands Immeral the Stone of Golorr, and they toss the rope of climbing at Immeral.
Nowhere holds the door open as Immeral backs out of the reading room and enters the gardens, which are now mostly empty, with just the last few vagrants finishing their food.
Suddenly the bearded devils rush out the doorway. Vittorio yells "kill those thieves" and casts a spell (earthquake). Immeral casts counterspell, and defuses the Cassalanter's magic. Amelia comes out the doorway casting a spell as well (fireball) and this time K'ronk counters her magic and it fizzles.
The bearded devils charge The League and a few of the party stragglers scream and run, the first attacking Seraphina and impaling her with its spiky tentacle-like beard, and the diminutive cleric of the Raven Queen is infected by black poison shooting into her from the barberous beard. The devil also swings its blade, but the nimble halfling dodges out of the way. The second attacks Atlas, again its barb-like tentacled beard of the devil stabbing into her, poisoning Atlas as well. He also swings a glaive, but misses the fleet-footed monk.
K'ronk slips the ring of invisibility back on, disappearing from the fray.
Seraphina casts blindness/deafness on Amelia and Vittorio, but this time Vittorio casts counterspell and neutralizes her spell.
Nowhere casts darkness near the location of the Cassalanters, between them and their guards. An inky black 30' diameter sphere appears and envelops them all, including Atlas and Seraphina.
K'ronk and Nowhere reach into the darkness and pull Seraphina and Atlas out to flee the estate, not wanting to fight the Cassalanters on their own ground. They all run, but the bearded devils fumble out of the darkness spell, and they run to attack Nowhere and Seraphina. The first devil misses Nowhere a glaive and beard-tentacle attack and misses as the ranger dives over picnic tables and around tent poles. Seraphina is not as lucky, and the slow-moving halfling takes even more of the poison in her veins, and she starts to look ill. She is moving slower now, and the devilish guard hits her with a glaive, drawing a huge gout of dark blood from her shoulder and she cries out in pain.
The cleric is near unconscious, and she casts spirit guardians. She calls forth spirits of the dead to protect her, and a handful of angry ghostlike entities appear and fly around her, circling up to fifteen feet away. The devils additionally seem to slow down a bit and the intangible spirits start clawing at her attackers. She moves as quick as she can towards her companions and escape.
Nowhere runs to the stables, making sure the way is clear for them to escape.
K'ronk invisibly moves towards the exit, but doesn't hurry, realizing that Seraphina will still be the last out and vulnerable. He casts blindness/deafness at the devils, and the effect of the ring of invisibility ends. One of the devils is blind and it starts flailing around, but one shakes off the effects.
Atlas moves to defend the halfling and support her exit.
Dain rushes back to Atlas and raises his shield to also defend the way out.
Immeral casts ray of frost on the approaching devil and the cold blast hurts the devil, and it slows the devil even more. Immeral races along with Seraphina and tells her "keep moving, they're slowed!"
The spirits Seraphina called follow her along as she races through the stables.
The devil attacks Atlas and Dain as their friends run out into the street, but as he raises his glaive high, a rumbling shakes the grounds of the Cassalantar estate, and a hole forms in the ground behind the devil and with a kick from Atlas and Dain, the devil falls in the hole.
"Run!" yells Atlas and they turn and tear through the stables into the street.
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As they reach their friends, the wall of the Cassalanter estate collapses before The League. Trees start sinking into the ground, and snow plumes up from the ground. The corner of the main house starts sinking into the hole, as Vittorio emerges on the balcony, he points his rod of rulership towards The Owlbear League standing in the street, when he sees rising from the hole the fleshy demon servant of Asmodeus.
The League keeps moving away, but they hear the demon Ferroz speak in a voice straight from the hells amplified by the quaking earth and widening hole. "Vittorio, your debt is due, your bargain has ended, your children are forfeit."
Amelia steps forward on the balcony and screams "We killed a hundred souls for you! They must be dying in the gutters!"
The devil replies "Your debt is unpaid, no souls have been sacrificed to Asmodeus, none died by your plans."
"Nooooooooo!" Amelia screams.
The children come out onto the balcony and they start writhing in pain and screaming, and their skin splits open like hot sausages and their skin starts melting and oozing as the entire building shakes even worse.
Amelia falls to her knees as her children transform into lemures. The lowest servants in hell.
Ferroz says "Come little worms, it is time to meet your new lord and master."
The former children squirm down the stairs as Vittorio hangs onto the balcony and tries to keep his feet. The lemures fall into the hole, literally falling into hell and they disappear.
The League wants to watch more but onlookers from the buildings around Cassalanter villa start screaming inside their windows and it pushes them to continue running.
The League hears "Noooooooooooo!" from Victorio as the earth starts shaking even harder. He must have unleashed his earthquake spell, and whether he cast it at the devil or upon his own house, the Cassalanter villa collapses in a great plume of dust and snow and falls into the hole in the earth where it must have collapsed into the Temple of Asmodeus.
CAPTURE 1:40:00
Walking down the middle of the street back towards their townhouse, Immeral says "We need to lock that stone up in the vault."
K'ronk says "Is the vault safe enough?"
Atlas adds "Maybe with Jidjack and team."
Nowhere says "I wonder if we can get the nimblewright fixed and attuned to us?"
Seraphina says "You just want to see Zardoz Zord again."
Immeral reacts "Ewwww!"
The whistles of the City Watch can be heard far off behind them as they move down the street towards home.
The League collapses in their townhouse and quickly brings JidJack, and his team up to speed.
"Are we still doing the deal for the kids?" Nowhere asks. "If it wasn't for the Zhents fucking things up, we might have had them already."
CAPTURE 1:45:10+, 1:48:50
None of The League has an answer yet. K'ronk says "Maybe we should stay somewhere else tonight. So much went down. I need sleep."
Nowhere says "Are we going to the Blackstaff in the morning? Are we confessing everything, or trimming the story down?"
Immeral answers "The Blackstaff basically said do what we had to do."
K'ronk nods, but Nowhere answers "But that didnt include killing servants of devil worshippers. We are no longer giving The Blackstaff the stone. We are giving it to The Eye and we are getting the kids back."
The others agree. "Then we go on our merry way."
Atlas asks "and let the lesser of two evils wins?"
Nowhere says "That's Option 1. Option 2 is to go to the Blackstaff and hope that she can help us get the kids back - maybe trap The Eye during handoff."
K'ronk says "I trust the Blackstaff, but its not clear exactly how she would help."
Atlas says "I think she is our best bet to give your kids back, but we don't even know where they are."
Nowhere adds "And we still would still have The Eye and The Zhents at war."
Immeral says "But nobody knows we have The Stone right now, until maybe they dig out the Cassalantar's." He uses the wand of aberration detection again and ensures their security team are not compromised."
Nowhere says "Then Option 3 is we work with Manshoon and give him the stone and get our half, but its on the condition we get our kids back."
"But they are still evil." K'ronk adds. "I think the Blackstaff is our best option. Then maybe we leave Waterdeep, this place has too much going on!"
The others are unsure they want to leave the tavern they have invested so much time in.
Seraphina says "Let's just crash here. I trust Jidjack and team and I'm too tired to go anywhere else."
Nowhere casts cure wounds on Seraphina to heal the battered halfling, and she and the rest of The League get well-deserved rest.
K'ronk keeps the Stone of Golorr, tucking it into his robe and putting on the ring of invisibility to sleep somewhat secret.
Immeral looks out the windows and sees the curtain move closed across the way. It is obvious that Dierre the intellect devourer still spies for The Xanathar.
The League rises and goes down to their unopened, boarded up, tavern and have a fulfilling breakfast from their waitstaff.
During their breakfast, a page arrives to their townhouse with a note. The page hands it off to Jidjack who does not wait for a reply, and brings it down to the tavern.
The Eye has your children. It is only a matter of time before they tire of them. I can tell you where they are. Come to Kolat Towers at sundown, and make sure you are not followed. - Manshoon
During their breakfast, a page arrives to their townhouse with a note. The page hands it off to Jidjack who does not wait for a reply, and brings it down to the tavern.
Meanwhile, when K'ronk wakes, he takes off the ring of invisibility and starts dressing, when he hears an otherworldly droning sound.
He looks around, and realizes the sound is in his mind. Then a voice speaks in his brain in an alien tone, making his scalp tingle.
"As a man would speak to an ant, so I will speak to you, two-footed insect. I am Golorr."
K'ronk is very concerned. "Greetings." he says cautiously.
"I am the permanency, the undying elder, the unending truth, you may begin worshipping me now."
"In the fire lands, did it hurt you to be rejected, tell me about your insignificant pain."
K'ronk says nothing, thinking.
"It is obvious you were the odd one out, the black sheep, the intelligent toad, the castaway. What do you seek from a greater being such as I?"
CAPTURE 2:12:27
Cautiously K'ronk replies "I was very frustrated there, and I moved away. But I don't want anyone there harmed, I have moved on."
"Thank you for your story, for sharing your pain, although it matters as much as a single drop in a mighty rain and has not elicited in me any caring whatsoever."
K'ronk looks at The Stone, and the eyes blink.
K'ronk goes down to the tavern and brings The League up to speed on his communication with The Stone, and they show him the note.
K'ronk out loud asks Golorr. "Are you aware of all that has been going on?"
"I see that which I bother to see, I know all that I wish to know when it does not bore me."
"Can you help us with our dilemma?" K'ronk asks.
"The brave compensates for their fear, the talkative for their insecurity, the angry for their impotence."
"What are your intentions?" K'ronk asks.
"Can an ant understand the intentions of a man. Do the sun, moon and stars have intentions. Could one be truly great and have intent? If I were to share my intent it would break your mind."
"What can you do?" K'ronk asks.
"What can I not do." Golorr answers
"Can you give us an example of what you can do?" K'ronk asks.
Golorr responds "right now I am not doing, so that is an example of doing, the inverse of doing, which is both what i am doing and what I am not doing."
CAPTURE 2:16
K'ronk shares this and shakes his head "Why do I attract all the freaks?."
Golorr says "even at the bottom of the ocean, light must die."
K'ronk ignores this and asks "What do you know of The Eye?."
Golorr responds "They are people, ants like yourself, and they form a great colony. They are amusing to watch skittering around the maze of your cities, dragging all manner of goods like bits of leaves or cheese. They crawl above the ground and within the ground, and sometimes over the ground."
K'ronk shares and Immeral asks "What about the Zhents?."
Golorr answers "Another species of ant."
Nowhere grows annoyed "Forget this Stone, let's just give it to the Zhents to figure out."
Golorr continues "Have you ever tasted a soul, they are sweet like a yam cooked with honey, but sometimes burnt like ash."
K'ronk asks Golorr "We have a problem, can you assist us."
"How might a god help an ant. How might an ant receive a god? Here is how I can help you. You are going to die soon, come to terms with it."
K'ronk continues, startled "When am I going to die?."
"In a century or two if you do not do anything foolish. I am older than your species, than the creatures who crawled in the muck before you and dined on worms and bugs, so your lives are but an instant. Are you still alive?"
K'ronk "Yes! I'm still alive"
"Good for you." says Golorr "Do you hunger?"
K'ronk "Actually yes, I haven't had breakfast."
Golor responds. "All souls may be devoured, but you must ask 'how ripe' and squeeze their mind for softness."
K'ronk "If I ask you for help will you own my soul?"
"I do not need the soul of an ant."
K'ronk "How did you help Neverember?"
"Worshipper, the nature of my form affects ant-men such as yourself, and I remove knowledge from a mind like the ocean changing the sands on a beach. I can also make you forget the beach even existed, or that I exist. I also may plant lore in your mind like a child builds a castle in the sand, but my castles are true."
CAPTURE 2:20:00
"I think he basically can do legend lore, but he can also erase memories if you are willing." K'ronk tells The League. "That is how Neverember stood up to questioning, not only did he erase where the stone was, he erased that he ever knew of it to begin with."
CAPTURE 2:21:00
Nowhere says "We have to turn that stone over to Manshoon, so you can't keep it." and K'ronk nods.
"I can see you are breathing and are still alive, excellent. Do you have a name, worshipper?"
"K'ronk".
"How disappointing", says Golor. "I would tell you my full name, but I don't think you have enough mind to hold its beauty."
K'ronk thinks for a moment and says "I would like you to tell me the location where Dagault Neverember hid the million dragons of gold."
"The gold is hidden beneath a theater in the dock ward of Waterdeep called the Pink Flumph."
K'ronk asks Golorr if it could remove the memory from itself.
"I could, I am powerful enough to do this, but then I could remember the not remembering and therefore I would remember, since I have perfect memory of myself, and the things I do not remember, which can't happen, so yes."
K'ronk says "So no?"
Golorr replies "As I explained, no and yes, in both orders. Does a wave move above the sea or does the sea move below the wave?"
K'ronk continues "Golorr, I would like you to forget the location of the gold".
"It is done."
"Do you remember the location?"
"Of course. I remember all, even that which I have forgotten." says Golorr.
"Are you familiar with the creature known as familiars."
"Certainly." says Golorr.
"If you allow it, I can, through magic, turn you into a familiar bound to me and you will have constant companionship and I can help you with things. I know I'm just an ant and you seem like a very, very, very powerful entity.
"Worship me now." says Golorr.
"I do." K'ronk says
"Continue to entertain me until you die." says Golorr.
"Would you let me cast the spell on you?" K'ronk says
Golorr replies "Cast away, but your hopes are fruitless trees in a cyclone of ignorance."
Immeral says to K'ronk "There is no way it works on him, you will likely lose Traven."
K'ronk says "Maybe I'll hold off."
Golorr randomly states "The beasts lick at your feet, do you run, or do you lick back? Which reminds me, ask your friend Immeral if he has had the dream again, the one with the black goat with seven eyes, watching him naked."
K'ronk asks Immeral, startled.
Immeral shouts "Uh, No!"
Golorr says "How sad, you ants do not remember your dreams. If one does not remember a dream, then has one had the dream? Even if there was a dream."
Immeral asks "What kind of creature is this!?!"
Through K'ronk Golorr states "I am aboleth. The all knowing. The ancient one. He who existed before gods. The one birthed in darkness. You may refer to me as Master."
Nowhere says "We're wasting time. We need a plan."
Immeral adds "We're probably being watched by everyone."
K'ronk says "I still don't like doing any deals with The Zhentarim."
Nowhere replies "The zhents are backed into a corner, they are up against too many forces looking for the stone. They have given us the wand and intel, and say they only want half the money. I think we get trust them to do things in their own interest, like finding the kids. The Eye is clearly the enemy."
"Her logic is like a worm with plucked wings." says Golorr.
K'ronk says "I still think its risky."
Atlas says "It's all risky."
Nowhere adds "Worse comes to worse, we burn down the whole city until we find our kids. We need to buy some emergency diamonds."
The League steps out to purchase some diamonds from a nearby shop. It is busy, the sky is cloudy, the air cold, and a bit of snow flitters down to the ground.
Immeral glances at the bakery, catching the eye of Dierre who is in the upper windows, and he waves, but then sort of catches himself, realizing that Immeral knows he is an intellect devourer. Immeral goes in to check on Roekin who is managing the store, and he buys a few things from the sad young elf, and offers for the young man to come over any time.
Roekin asks "Where are the kids?" and Immeral covers with "They're visiting friends in Daggerford, should be back in a couple of days." Dierre comes down into the shop, and Immeral quickly moves on.
A paperman from the broadsheets calls out "Broadsheets here! Cassalanter villa destroyed in a sinkhole!" and the League buys one for a couple of coppers.
It details how the magnanimous Cassalanter villa tragically disappeared into a sinkhole that appeared on their Sea Ward property a short time after their annual Feast of the Casslanters. It goes into detail of what fantastic people they were and all their charitable efforts as well as their business expertise. It barely mentions their staff who also have presumably died, but some bodies have been recovered, just not Amelia, Vittorio or their children. It does mention the only survivor being a cousin living in the guest house that was relatively unscathed.
"That's a tough one." says Nowhere
"Don't believe the broadsheets" says Atlas.
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Immeral hands out some pastries, which most don't eat since they just had breakfast. "We should probably get some health potions."
Nowhere says "I have three potions of healing."
They do some casual shopping and return to their townhouse to wait for dusk and the meeting with Manshoon. Meanwhile artisans continue to restore the tavern.A knock comes at the door and Jidjack and team take a message from another page.
If you have the stone leave a single lantern in the tavern window tonight. We will give you instructions on where to leave the stone and you will get the children back sometime later after we get the gold. There's no negotiating. If you don't have the stone find a way to get it before the gold is taken. If the gold is gone, so are your kids. If you don't have a way to get the stone, then die you useless murder-hobos.
K'ronk says "I have a question for Golorr."
They circle around him and he speaks into his vest and the brain numbing presence of the aboleth fills his mind.
"Yes, worshipper-ant?" says Golorr.
K'ronk asks "You said you are not omnipotent, but how do you know so much?"
Golorr replies "I read minds like books, and the stories flow into my vast intellect. Your mind is like a child's story, easy to read with lots of pictures. I read whole swaths of the city for my amusement. Are you aware the priestess Valetta wants to make ant-babies with you? She wants dragontongue."
K'ronk turns red and does not relay this to The League.
Golorr states "If I drank coffee I would send you for coffee for me worshipper, to give you an opportunity to prove your worth."
K'ronk shares this while shaking his head. "I won't get you coffee then."
Golorr says "Worshipper, are you refusing to get me coffee?"
"No, I will get you coffee."
Golorr states "No, I do not want coffee"
"Ok, I won't get you coffee."
Golorr probes "But you are not getting the coffee because I do not want the coffee, not because you do not want to get the coffee?"
"I would have gotten you coffee, master."
Golorr says "Perhaps you should get me coffee to prove you would have gotten me coffee."
And K'ronk makes him a cup of coffee while The League ponders their situation further. When the coffee is ready K'ronk says "here is your coffee master."
"You may drink the coffee, it is a gift for you ant-servant."
"Thank you master."
The others watch K'ronk conducting this strange interaction where they only hear K'ronk's voice, and he explains the test to The League.
Golorr inserts "It is like watching an ant juggling"
"Thank you for the test master."
They look at K'ronk strangely.
Golorr adds "That one worships the Raven Queen. She should know that even death may die, and be reborn and die again, and then stay dead, or have life, or not."
"Where are our kids?" asks K'ronk
"This I do not know."
"Could you guess?" asks K'ronk
"Are they here?" asks the Stone
"No" says K'ronk
"Then I guess they are not here." says Golorr.
"Thank you my lord" says K'ronk
"Why are you worshipping the rock?" ask Immeral.
"Your companion would have a better life if they worshipped me." says Golorr. "As pitifully short as that is. He is an empty soul, a glass with no drink. He could use a beer or tea, perhaps coffee, and then drop the glass, and then lap up the liquid on the floor with the shards of glass. This would improve his life."
"Thank you my lord" says K'ronk
Golorr adds "Or he could get a mop, and mop it up. That is what your friend's soul needs."
"Thank you my lord" says K'ronk
Golorr continues "Your friends lives are bland and empty without someone to worship, like coffee without creamer, and I am the pumpkin spice."
CAPTURE 3:00:00
"Did you have a question underling?" asks the Stone
"Yes" says K'ronk
"I know you are very forgetful, you are lucky my patience like my intellect is infinite."
"Thank you my lord" says K'ronk
"Hurry up now." says Golorr
"Are our kids still alive?" asks K'ronk
Golorr responds "I cannot say, but have they ever truly lived, what is life? When your life is less than a blink of an ant's eye, have you ever lived before you die? Are you still alive? Ah yes, I see you breathing. Too bad."
"Thank you my lord" says K'ronk
K'ronk casts sending to Jenks and he is indeed alive.
"Are you OK? Do you know where you are? We will rescue you."
Jenks replies "Don't know where we are. We have to entertain a goldfish. Bad guy is creepy as hell. We're bored."
K'ronk casts sending again and says "Working on a rescue. Stay safe. Stay together."
Jenks replies "In a dungeon somewhere deep, the sent us down a long lift. It was A-maze-ing"
K'ronk tells this to the others.
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The League has asked around and found Kolat Towers, in the dimmest remaining light of day. It is a dilapidated structure on Weeping Maiden's Run and Grocer's Lane near Slop Street in the southern ward.
The property is surrounded by a stone wall set with iron spikes. There is some sort of magical force around the properly, as evidenced by the green grass inside the force, untouched by snow. There is a sign that says "Caution, old wizard tower, beware." and apparently people do.
There are two towers of the structure as well as a rectangular building attached to the taller tower. The taller tower is six stories tall and the lower tower, which was only accessible via a bridge from the taller tower, is only four stories tall. Apparently the locals think it is abandoned and haunted.
As they approach, a woman steps out from the shadows "Are you the Owlbears?" she asks, and Nowhere says "Yep, can't you see our feathers?"
She scowls and signals for The League to follow them inside.
The gate magically opens, lets them in the wall of force, and closes the door behind them.
"Were you followed?" asks the woman.
Nowhere says "Of course not." but glances at her companions as they forgot to take precautions.
"I am Tashlyn" she says, not saying much else. She is tall with light brown skin and dressed in expensive armor, wearing a sword and dagger.
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There are several people inside this room, armed and looking at The League. The woman yells up "turn the force field back on!" to someone unseen, and a thump can be heard against the entry door. It appears to be a storeroom (K1) and she says "Follow me"
They move through a dining room (K2) where four Zhents in black armor sit around a stone dining table, playing Three-Dragon Ante. The table is set with silver. Eight moth-eaten banners hang from the walls. Each bears an arcane sigil that represents a different one of the eight schools of magic.
They move through a kitchen (K3) where mouthwatering scents fill the room, where a portly halfling stands atop a stool and cooks at an iron stove. He nods to The League. A green, ghostly hand floats above a trellis table, holding a knife and cutting carrots and celery.
A staircase curves up one wall, behind it there is an crumbled opening in the tower wall which lets them see into a musty library where a suit of plate armor stands. Tomes are packed into built-in stone bookshelves, with a tall alcove above each shelf holding a gargoyle. An in-progress game of Dragonchess sits on a marble table in a reading nook.
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The League notices there are 15 foot ceilings and seven foot high doorways. And the the doors are made of iron bound wood, looking very sturdy, not as run down as the outside would have you believe. The windows are blacked out but within the lights are all from continual flame spells throughout.
The second floor seems to be a reading room (K7). A burly half-orc clad in black leather armor sits in an overstuffed chair in the northernmost corner of the room, reading a book.
Large framed pictures of cities and landscapes hang on the walls, and a worn, blood-spattered rug covers the floor. Other furnishings include a pair of rocking chairs, a couch, and an ottoman.
They move into the Tower (K6). There is a stone landing with no railings and a stone spiral staircase descending to area K4. She says "don't trust your eyes" and she starts to ascend an invisible staircase up to the next level.
Across from the landing, a wide stone ledge protrudes from the northeast wall beneath a window. A pair of identical wooden chests sits atop the ledge, but there seems no way to get to the platform.
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The invisible stairs takes them to a landing (K11) which looks to be a laboratory that has seen better days. Shattered glass covers the floor, and a large wooden trellis table has been knocked on its side. A large empty cabinet dominates the back wall. Tashlyn explains nothing except she scoffingly says the word "wizards" while shaking her head.
She continues up another invisible set of stairs with The League tentatively following.
"I know, right?" says Atlas.
The invisible stairs takes them to another landing (K15) and this one contains a 10-foot-diameter circle of runes which has been drawn on the floor in blood that is now dried. Smoke billows from four iron braziers placed around the circle.
Three apprentice wizards stand outside the circle, chanting an incantation. A barlgura is slumped motionless within the circle.
They continue on.
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The next set of invisible stairs brings them to a closed door. The door is unlocked and opens into the room, which is some sort of workshop (K16), but is a mess.
Bits of clay, stone, bone, and metal litter the floor and cover a wooden table in the middle of the room.
The floor creaks and tilts slightly when stepped on, and it can be seen to be detached from the walls in places. Two oversized iron clamps on opposite sides of the room hold the floor in place. Each of these rusty mechanisms is attached to an iron lever.
A wooden staircase once climbed 20 feet to the next level, but it has partially collapsed. Tashlyn nimbly ascends it anyway "Sorry for the mess I guess." she says and continues up to a door.
She opens the door, and within there is an unlit hallway. At the end of the curved hallway, defending a door is a flesh golem. Tashlyn doesn't get close to the golem.
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"We wait here" says Tashlyn.
The door behind the golem opens and out walks Manshoon. The wizard casts light and the ceiling glows warmly.
Manshoon says "Many of my people were killed in the big trouble in the dock ward and I am vulnerable. The zhentarim are mostly hold up in this tower for protection. We cannot win a fight with The Xanathar now."
He continues "I do however have a spy in The Xanathar guild, but with my network gone I can't contact them directly. I no longer care about The Stone of Golorr, or the million dragons, I just want to destroy The Eye. Here is what I propose...
The Xanathar has a secret base in Skullport, the hidden city below Waterdeep. Technically it is within the halls of Undermountain, the Dungeon of Hallaster Blackcloak the mad mage, and so its magic protects Skullport and hides it from spells that would scry the location of the Xanathar base.
Skullport has an entrance via the sea caves of Waterdeep, among other less well known paths, such as the well in the Yawning Portal. Skullport is its own city - a hive of scum and villainy. We zhents have people in Skullport, but have not found the lair of the Xanathar - our agent won't reveal the way in or out. It's his insurance that we bring him out alive.
If you agree, I will arrange transport for you to Skullport. You will go there and search for the secret stronghold of the Xanathar. You will make contact with my agent who is preparing a strike against the Xanathar. Help him destroy them and save your children at the same time. He will hold his actions until you make contact. Do you agree?"
Nowhere says "This is what we want to. We want to get our kids back and destroy The Xanathar in the process. We agree."
The others nod.
Manshoon agrees. "I have a ship that can take you to Skullport. Captain Rory Barbarossa can be found on the Riptide in Waterdeep harbor. See him in the morning for passage. He can be trusted, but is not a member of the Zhents, so don't share anything of your mission with him. Once in Skullport, find my agent, a drow wizard named Nar'l Xibrindas. He is not your average drow, he is somewhat frail and cowardly. Find Nar'l, find the secret stronghold of the Xanathar, get your children, and help him destroy them. The Eye recently gave Nar'l a bodyguard, but that bodyguard likely is watching Nar'l and reporting any unloyal activity, you will have to work around them."
Nowhere says "We understand."
Manshoon brings The League back down the tower, down the invisible stairs and explains to them along the way that he may not be on this plane of existence if things get rough with The Eye and the Zhents have to go into hiding. Before they leave Manshoon stops and says "best of luck."
Suddenly the windows of the tower smash open and dozens of magic missiles fly into the tower and riddle Manshoon with a blistering attack of magical destructive energy. Zhents grab their weapons and move to the windows. One calls out, "They dug under the shield! Get a team to fill that in!"
Tashlyn goes to check Manshoon who is torn to pieces. "He's dead." she says.
A moment passes, and up from the lowest level of the tower comes a copy of Manshoon.
He says to his Zhents "Fill in the hole, we will have to post guards outside, they know where we are now." He turns to The League and says "Clones, they are very expensive." and shakes his head. "Clean this up!" he says and more zhents come and wrap up the body and carry it off to be disposed of.
The League leaves, and heads back to their townhouse for a night of rest, and a journey in the morning.
Will The League be able to get to Skullport and find Manshoon's agent? Can they find the stronghold of the Xanathar and defeat them. If Manshoon is the leader of the Zhents, who is the leader of the Xanathar? Can they save the kids and extract N'arl? What else unexpected lies before them?
NEXT - CAMPAIGN JOURNAL 68 - TRAVAILS IN THE SEA CAVE
This adventure used material from the D&D Module "Waterdeep: Dragon Heist".
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