The Return: Session #21

General Summary

The heroes helped the refugees from Uyo settle at Fort Garnet as they prepared to head to dam Skull's Crossing. Before they left, Bartuk used his magic to enforce truth from those around him when he confronted his cousin, Nisdyl. If she noted the magic, then she made no mention.
What Bartuk and the heroes learned is that the his cousin and most of the citizens of Uyo have the seven pointed star tattooed on their bodies. The paradise offered regular customers an opportunity to becomes members of the casino--- receiving free entry and other perks. As the most popular and cheery place in a mining town, many people easily agreed to the tattoo little knowing they were consigning their souls to the a runewell. Lucrecia sank the Paradise with most of the town on board, reaping a hundred souls on a single night.
They heroes sensed no magic in the tattoo and wondered if it could be altered to prevent their fate.
The warned the town priest, Maelin Shreed, of the mark and asked if she could do anything, but she admitted this was beyond her training and capabilities.
Bartuk also used his magics to contact Seneschal Neolandus Kale. He informed him of the fall of Fort Garnet and the flooding dam, and asked for help. Neolandus responded with assurance he would send help right away, but it was four days away, at the very least.
With heavy hearts, the heroes turned their attention to the dam. They realized that if the dam was damaged, then they could use their magical lute to repair it... if they could find someone to play it. Asking around the refugees led them to Berthandy, one of the two older halflings that Kurdan had saved during the battle in Uyo. She was scared by the idea of facing danger, but wanted to do what she could to save her home. She agreed to go.
The heroes, Berthandy, and Yap headed back into the rain and continued up the path towards Skull's Crossing. A long muddy climb brought them to the base of a large dam. It was built from marvel and sported five giant skulls that acted as floodgates were not opened, but a large crack on southern side was allowing a great flood of water through to the lands below.
Following a path to the Northern top of the dam, the heroes had to climb a steps made for a giant body. It was an exhausting climb and held warnings signs for a clan known as the Skulltakers.
The top of the steps lead to a small passage in the mountain made home by a two headed giant. The giant was pacing and muttering to itself in frustration. Tiny Tymm attempted to talk to the creature through an illusion, but it reacted with hostility to the intruders. A brief but ugly fight broke out, but the heroes defeated the giant. In his possessions, they found some rotting pelts and minor treasures including a couple scrolls in a ivory case.
On top of the dam, the heroes found a group of Kreeg ogres assaulting the top of the dam with pick axes. They looked exhausted and hurt. Only their leader looked in good shape, as he lounged in the rain.
The waters behind the dam had reached the top and the marble was slippery and dangerous. Leaving Berthandy with Yap, the heroes fought the ogres, but found it an easy fight. The ogres were too tired to put up much of a fight and the heroes caution and magical assaults caused most of the ogres to fall to their doom, and their leader gave up without much of a fight.
Malugus Kreeg had been ordered by the new leader of the Kreeg, Barl, to destroy the dam, but had met with hardship. The creatures of that called the dam home had assaulted the ogres when they tried to make their way across the top of the dam, and he didn't fancy dying to the heroes.
The heroes allowed him to flee, but were distressed to find Bethandy and Yap had disappeared. Yap reappeared near them to assuage their fears by showing he had turned Berthandy to a mouse and hidden her away. The heroes demanded Yap turn her back and no longer use his magics on Berthandy without their permissions.
Scouting the entrance to the dam's interiors, they found a room filled with ogre bodies and thick green mold growing on the walls. Stairs lead below with writing in Giant declaring, "Below dwells Wet Papa Bazuul! All hail Wet Papa Bazuul!" They saw no signs of the creatures that killed the ogres.
Heading towards the stairs, they were ambushed by green skinned creatures that had been hiding in the mold. Tiny Tymm recognized these as Trolls--- vicious killers that could heal almost any wound, even dismemberment. The only thing that temporarily stopped their healing was acid or fire. Surrounded, Tiny Tymm pulled out one of the magic scrolls he just found and used it to unleashed a wall of fire encircling the heroes.
The magical blaze greatly damaged the trolls, and all but two fled from the fires and the dam. The heroes were able to easily dispatch the pair and made their way down into the dam. The claustrophobic stairs lead to a large watery chamber that held a model of Skull's Crossing and a tunnel from which they could head loud breathing.
Bartuk began to head down the hall with a poor attempt at stealth when an aquatic troll bursts from the water and grappled Tiny Tymm. Tiny Tymm took damage from the monstrous creature, but used his magic to blast it away and allowing Kurdan to face it with his magical axe.
After slaying Bazuul, the heroes explored the hall to find two magical prison cells. One had a pile of ash and the other contained a nearly dead devil. Avaxial had been imprisoned with another devil in the cells by the Runelord Karzoug. The cells would drain their life force to power the floodgates during bad storms, but the with the other devil dead from a thousand years of service... the floodgates could no longer open.
Avaxial begged to be freed. Bartuk was against it, but Tiny Tymm and Kurdan made a deal with the devil for its freedom. Avaxial could be summoned to assist them in a future battle. He warned them he would need some time to rest, but they only needed to light some candles and call his name when they wanted his help.
The heroes realized that mortals could use the cells, but it would leave them near death afterwards.
Returning to the top of the dam, the heroes had Berthandy use his musical skills to play the Lute to fix the damage the ogres had caused. Her magic not only repaired the dam from the Kreeg assault, but it fixed minor damage from a thousand years of service.
The heroes made their way back to Fort Garnet and explained what they found to Priest Shreed. She helped find volunteers to empower the flood gates, and the heroes helped the protect the volunteers. The floodgates opened and allowed the waters to begin to lower and lessened the immediate threat to the lands below.
With Skull's Crossing safe, the heroes knew their attention was to turn next to the home of the Kreeg, the ogre clan's mysterious leader, and finding the kidnapped Commander of Fort Garnet, Lamatar Bayden.

Rewards Granted

700 gold

six pearls (100 gp each) 

ivory tube (scroll of Cone of Cold)

Character(s) interacted with

Nisdyl Hammerstein 


Maelin Shreed 

Report Date

20 Jun 2021

Primary Location

Fort Garnet