A Hellish Rebuke

Leopold was able to successfully escort the Mirabaran scholar Bruldenthar and the other seventeen bewildered former prisoners of the Sacred Stone monks back to Rivergbard Keep. The castle was abandoned and eerie. Weird sounds persisted, but the group scrounged up some supplies and holed up locked within the southeast tower where they could monitor river traffic.

Two and a half days later, Leopold's companions, Alexander, LiKi, and Kahntun returned victorious from the reclusive monks' fortification. They had strange tales to tell about the "Sacred Stone Monks," their true affiliation with the "Black Earth Cult," and some of its leadership, most notably, their prophet Marlos Urnrayle.

What's more, they were once again thwarted after finding what appears to be an entrance into the lost underground city, Tyar-Besil. But, they seemed to be in possession of two out of the four essential keys: the key seemingly associated with water bandits, pirates, and Rivergard keep, as well as the key known to be associated with the symbol of the Black Earth Cult.

The party regained their strength as they waited for the Knights of Samular to sail up the Dessarin river with their keelboat from Womford. Some of the freed commoners were eager to get back to their settlements, but Leopold was able to convince 14 of them to stay and help fortify and reestablish the necessary comforts of a keep such as this. They went to work burying dead bodies, cleaning up messes, putting fires in the hearths, and organizing provisions. This made Rivergard much more comfortable, yet unambiguously announced to the surrounding areas that it was now inhabited once again.

Highlights from combat:

• Atop his mount, Litborn seemed to cast a spell; a sharp odor of sulfur hit our party's nose as a terrible ring of fire began to materialize around them; however, LiKi concentrated her magically energies toward countering this spell, negating it completely.
• The wyvern descended and Litborn faced Kahntun and Leopold in melee combat; Kahntun channeled the divinity of his goddess, abjuring the enemy.
• Kahntun and the wyvern exchanged melee attacks.
• Kahntun feared the wyvern, affectively rooting it to the spot.
• Leopold hit Litborn with magic missiles.
• LiKi hit Litborn with a powerful witch bolt.
• Seeing things not going his way, Litborn cast a fireball in the middle of the battle, apparently privileging his wrath (and growing fear) over the safety of his mount and himself; this freed the wyvern from the fear spell.
• The two fled, flying off to the east of Rivergard Keep.