Take This Quest and Shove It

General Summary

The party discussed with Carmilla and Maximilian Miralos what should be done with the Heart of Déon. It was decided that such a powerful artifact should be hidden away for the time being, until a proper course of action could be figured out. Miralos suggested it be hidden in the Fields of Illusion, as the powerful natural magics in the field would make the Heart undetectable. However, due to the nature of the field it would be necessary to set up a teleportation circle so the Heart could be retrieved when the time comes. To that end, Miralos told the party they should investigate Darkshroud Keep, an abandoned fortress on an island far east off the Vanalian Coast.

Darkshroud Keep was once the base of operations for a powerful warlord and dark wizard named Kasius Darkshround, who ruled the Vanalian Coast hundreds of years ago before being defeated by a group of adventurers. Especially skilled in teleportation magic, he was able to use it to transport his armies around. Miralos believed that the keep might hold secrets of this magic.

As the party headed back into Meicor, they noticed that the city gates were now guarded and travelers were being screened before being allowed to enter. They discovered that Aristo la Polla was under arrest, and that the city was now occupied by the Eloqui Order as a result of Ra'zon's letter to the Alcaster crownmage. The party was able to bluff their way past the guards, and once in town Ra'zon headed to the Savoran Hall to meet with the Eloqui detachment. Discreetly tailed by Grom, Ra'zon met with the mage Siegmar Umarov and told him about la Polla's use of magic and obtaining of arcaltium. However, he kept Grom and the Heart unmentioned.

On the way back to the docks, they stopped by the Blade Hall to say hello to Big Tom and Skinny Pete before grabbing a drink at the Sunken Dragon. As the Tranquil Angel made ready to set sail, Ra'zon announced that he would not be continuing on this quest and left the party, despite attempts from Grom to change his mind. After he left, the ship set sail without him.

After four days of uneventful sailing, the ship arrived at their destination. In Ra'zon's absence, Grom was joined by crewman Hans Barton as they explored the crumbling remains of Darkshroud Keep. Inside, Hans was ambushed by an enchanted rug that sent him unconscious before Grom could defeat it. Below the keep they discovered a library, where they fought and defeated a group of cursed shades. While Hans investigated the library (discovering several books including the erotic novel Scales of Desire), Grom found a passageway marked with the phrase "Speak your sin." Deducing that one must reveal their most horrendous act to pass, the party moved through and found Kasius Darkshroud's study. Grom found a bag of bloodrunes and a guide on their use, and in the study they also found an extant teleportation circle.

Characters Interacted With

• Ra'zon spoke with Siegmar Umarov, the head of the Eloqui occupation in Meicor, to reaffirm his loyalty to Hildonia

Chapter Six

"Take This Quest and Shove It"

---

Previous Chapter: Release the Kraken

Next Chapter: Half the Grom I Used To Be

---

Ingame Date: 30^th of First Bloom-3^rd of Rainseed, 1855
Real-Life Date: April 26, 2020
Protagonists:

• Grom
• Ra'zon the Broken
• Hans Barton

Featured NPCs:

• Carmilla Valenti
• Siegmar Umarov

Locations:

• Katalian Four Diamonds dig site
• Meicor
• Darkshroud Keep