Session 3: The Rise of Tiamat Report

General Summary

After resting the party moved back through the remainder of the caverns. As they moved back through the cave, Gunthar decided to leave the cavern and try and find the bag of gold that had been thrown at them earlier. Moving through the cavern, the approached two masked people and dispatched of them easily; however, during the fight Balazar was hit and the curse in his axe took hold. Taking swings at Abnor in a rage, Shroombo and the rest of the party were able to restrain him and removed his weapon which in turn sated the curse for the time being. Realizing the the axe was cursed, Shroombo found a way to traverse through Balazar's memories. From a humble and peaceful life in a village that was attacked by cultists he was left for dead and has been traveling the lands as an adventurer. The only memory of the axe was from the dream that he had the night before and woke up with it in tow. After finding some pamphlets and books that were basically a "Becoming a cultist 101 series" they left the cavern and headed back into town. Unfortunately, Gunthar the lost had become lost again and was more than likely wandering around still searching for a bag of gold. Unfortunately, this slipped the party's mind as they had larger problems at hand. The party attempted to seek out assistance and entered the local church that worshipped Pelor. After inspection, the priest advised them that the curse was beyond him; however, they should be able to break the curse in the city of Khatharbund a couple of days travel away. Deciding it would be for the best to rest, the party made their way into the tavern where they found Niserie. Abnor confronted her and pulled her over to the table that the group was sitting at. With a little telepathic communication, she explained the cancer that was bubbling within the confines of the town. The priest was corrupt and the church was a front for the cult of the dragon who was dedicated to returning Tiamat back from the nine hells into this plane of existence. The cult had infiltrated the town and she didn't know who to trust and who not to trust and that her job was to send adventurers to their death to help fund Tiamat's horde. Further in, she explained that she'd come here to get away from wars and fighting to settle down and raise her son; however, the cultists had captured him and was forcing her to do their bidding. After explaining where the entrance was in the church, the party rested, visited their favorite potion maker, and prepared for what was coming.   Entering into the underbelly of the church, they were able to almost immediately find the location of the captive child. With surprise attacks and spider stealth from Shrumbo they were able to get the drop on them and dispatch of the guards easily. Abnor and Balazar quickly exited to return the child and his mother came running out and grasped her missing son in tears. She looks towards the two and thank them; as they survey the area and turn back, she was already moving towards the end of two preparing to exit into the forest. Making their way back to the rest of the party the encountered the priest next going through documents and the books and laying out even further plans for the town. He was dispatched almost instantly, but could do nothing but laugh in their face and spit in their direction as he knew the end of the story and they would all cower before his dark goddess. After finding all of this, Shroombo was sent back out to find Joyce who he responded with only the bare necessities of what was going on. She entered the church behind him and closed the door and covered it for them and made her way back to her shop. Upon entering the final room, they came face to face with a single cultist and a person dressed in purple robes and a head piece that was shaped with four out of the five (black missing) chromatic dragons. "You're too late..." escapes his lips with a smirk and he steps into a portal and vanishes. The cultist brings forth a tile chimera to life from a mosaic that had been painted on the wall and the party battled for their survival. After a long, hard fought battle the party was victorious and the cultist and hundreds of small pieces of tile lay scattered across the room with nothing more than a few pamphlets and a mystical orb on a stand remaining.