2021-03-10 - Down the Hole or the Hall Report

General Summary

Our heroes entered the secret hallway, pushing past rubble to explore more of the area before them. They found several doors on the left hand (north side) of the walls, an engraving of a man on the far wall, and a single door that lead south that smelled of goblin which they linked to the slavers. The first room they opened they found a room filled with large spiderwebs and Cramus used a fireball to blast the room to smithereens. No spiders were present, but they did find engravings on the wall that spoke of a kingdom of evil and Order, Chaos, and Renewal. There were also some indications that drow might be present.  

Beware ye the wrath of Vogon and his minions, for before you lies the gate to this Kingdom of Evil, and those who make the journey never return. There you find Order, Chaos, and Renewal. Yet death in all.

    They pressed on through a second room and into a third with a door on which a jackals head which required one to stick their hand in and have it clamp down to open the door. In the final room, they found a similar glowing chasm as the cultist room and a statue with red glowing eyes. As soon as they had crossed just halfway across the room the door slammed shut, locking several characters out of the room. Creatures materialized out of nothing and began to battle the characters, first zombies, then Flesh Reavers, then finally a double-headed dog with a large snake where a tail should be. The characters who were locked outside forced the door open and they began to destroy the eyes of the creature on the throne. Grim was knocked unconscious but quickly revived and eventually the heroes destroyed the eyes and the creatures were defeated. It had been a dangerous moment for all of them. Exploring more they find a secret door and Cramus uses his key on the engraving of the man, who looks a little like the sheik, by inserting it into the amulet on his chest and turning. The door swings open to a long unknown hallway. They find themselves, after dealing with a falling stair trap in an ancient room filled with a wealth of knowledge. They find a book that details the stars, including that it indicates the next star has been stolen by an ancient named Badr Al-Mosak. The Book of the Great Stars - A Compendium of My Travels by Groomramunk the Wizurd  They found notes from Martek explaining more of his plan as well.    

Aeraldoth is a key to the battle against Khalitharius . With Khalitharius temporarily bested and I too exhausted to finish the wicked creature I had to formulate a solution once he returned. I, the wizard Martek, let fly myself to the court of Lord Mauladi - ruler of the Djinn and enemy of all efreet everywhere and there I doth beseech him. While many see the Efreet and the Djinn as being like, they do not see it as such and are often at odds with one another. The efreet are of fire and the Djinn of air. In his court this case I laith out with all the fervour I could muster in my soul. The truth assuch, I could bind a genie to battle Khalitharius whilst the heroes of prophecy collected the final stones, but woe is me such a djinn as I could hold would easily be bested by the evil efreet. And Lo, as I hoped, one of the visiers those wise djinn who serve Lord Mauladi, rose and begged to be voluntarily held to fight the evil efreet once he arose again. Aeraldoth a strong and brash as a djinn that existed offered himself to be held for a thousand years - which to him would be merely a fortnight. Lord Mauladi agreed to allow Aeraldoth to depart his court and in the Pheonix, I bound him to wait the day of his release. Khalitharius in his hubris will not be ready for the traps I've laid.

and for Cramus Wrenth       

"The key the seek hold some great power and the one who seeks it will stop at nothing. For what purpose, I cannot tell? Good or Evil? I fear the answer lies with the man named Dreadwater."

      As our heroes begin to weight their next options friction begins in the party. Many desire to go after the star, abandoning the quest for the Princess and leaving the sheik to solve his own problems. The greater good will be done if they defeat the evil efreet than if they save the princess. It is Belus who objects the loudest stating that he cannot stand by while innocents are kidnapped and killed and if they desire to leave he will not go with them. His code will not allow him to abandon the sheik, his son, and the princess when he knows that this group of seven is the best chance the sheik has to see the princess alive.

Rewards Granted

6000xp ( 857xp per character)