That wasn't Wee Jas. :) That's actually Ranet. One of the things I was playing with in this adventure is the "ancient" Suel deities. I made them slightly different from what they have now become in the Flanaess, hence the slightly different symbol.
That wasn't Wee Jas. :) That's actually Ranet. One of the things I was playing with in this adventure is the "ancient" Suel deities. I made them slightly different from what they have now become in the Flanaess, hence the slightly different symbol.
With the orc leader charmed, and the orcs gathering in one place, Isilme flies inside, following the other orc. Two orcs are on the floor, and there are 11 orcs inside all total. You can tell the leaders; they are bigger with better weapons and armor. You can't understand what they are saying, as you don't speak orcish. However, the one you charmed is arguing with the others.
Isilme uses the running message spell to talk to him. "Tell them Markessa told him to do this after a time. If they disobey and make him angry, he shall use the magic she
gave him. Now have them line up for inspection and new orders."
He says what Isilme ordered him to say. The orcs look confused, and they argue in orc.
The orc Isilme charmed clearly is trying to get the other orcs to all follow her orders. They mostly do as orcs gather from the other rooms in the building. Isilme catches the name Markessa, or something like it, and see what looks like relief on the other orcs faces. One orc turns to go out. It heads outside, and turns around the corner to go down the alley, to where the big orc was originally standing. The orc that leaves seems to be obeying as well; at least they don't seem to be arguing.
OUTSIDE
Berenn cannot tell what's going on. However, based on what he sees with his infravision, something has dropped from above and enveloped the orc. It's writhing around on the ground, covered up by something.....
Hepla flies forward and lands in the street, where she casts Tongues. As she lands, suddenly Vaddara and Elrae both get hit by something, and Emyn has just enough time to see them get wrapped by what appear to be cloaks before their lights (Vaddara's shield and Elrae's sword) both are covered and the area goes pitch dark! Vaddara takes [6] and Elrae nothing due to his Stoneskin.
[DM OOC: If it's confusing, that's understandable. Isilme is just inside the doorway, in the building with the orcs. The rest of the party is back up the street. Vaddara and Elrae just were hit by something and borne to the ground. Their lights are covered and it's pitch black. Emyn caught a glimpse of what looked like blankets suddenly covering both of them before their lights were covered up.
Those who were down the street a bit (Berenn, Noot, Rakk, and Thorgrim) who were hiding in the dark right around the corner from the orc, notice that the light behind them suddenly went out and they likely heard something, some kind of muffled grunts/thuds. They can't actually see Elrae and Vaddara, but they know something just happened.
Berenn was watching the orc rolling around on the ground, also covered by something. It was grunting and struggling, but Berenn couldn't tell what was happening to it. Something was wrapped around it; he could tell that much with his infravision, but couldn't clearly see what it was.
Everyone (including Isilme) also hear a low moaning sound, though they can't exactly tell from where it is coming from. It's definitely outside.
Everyone who heard the moaning (which is everyone!) suffers a -2 to all attack and damage rolls. Also, inside the room, two orcs move off after talking to the charmed leader. One goes north and one goes south, and they both turn west. They call out softly, so they must be summoning more orcs. The orcs all hear the moaning outside, and instantly take up defensive position. One runs across the plaza, totally ignoring the one that was attacked on the far east side of the plaza.]
"I'm going to see what's going on," Thorgrim whispers. He heads back towards Vaddarra and Elrae. When he sees what's happening, he will call "Trouble!" in a low call or strained whisper, then draw dagger and attack.
Thorgrim turns and moves up a bit, trying to see what's happening. When he can see around the corner, he sees Elrae and Vaddara on the ground wrapped up in what look like blankets. Their muffled cries from within tells him something's wrong, so he flips up his eyepatch. This blinds Emyn temporarily (this round) as his eyes have to adjust. Elrae and Vaddara are, indeed, wrapped up in some kind of blankets. Noot stays and looks around the corner. He's out of the light, so he can see with his infravision. He sees the wrapped up orc stop struggling.
Vaddara takes [7] more from something biting her, while Elrae again takes nothing thanks to Stoneskin. They cannot use any weapons. Elrae tries to break free but he cannot, while Vaddara quickly realizes she cannot cast any spells either, being so completely wrapped up. They are virtually helpless.
Inside the room (and known only to Isilme) the orcs start stuffing their ears with some wadding. What it is you can't be sure.
Elrae struggles to get free. "HELP!!! I am trapped and something is biting me!" Except it comes out more like, "Helmmmph. Mmmm rpppddddd nnnn sommmph sss itttnnn mmmm!"
Berenn is about to cast Silence back around Vaddara and Elrae when he realizes the moans are actually coming from above, and seem to be everywhere.
[DM OOC: I would point out, wandering around the subterranean city with continual light spells, or any light for that matter, is pretty much like having a big blinking neon sign that says, "food here!" for all the things inside.]
Berenn sheaths his MW longsword, and with his free hand summons a globe of silence, centered between Elrae and Vaddara. This also encompasses Thorgrim, who moves around to the earth elemental and tells it to rips the things off them. [It won't be able to respond until NEXT round though.]
Rakk draws his dagger so he can see, and sees one up above. He fires his crossbow at it one-handed, and hits it square in the face [12]. It's moan instantly turns into a shriek and it flies up in to the darkness.
Vaddara and Elrae both are continually bitten, Vaddara taking [4] and Elrae none again.
Noot moves all the way up to where he can see them. With a dagger in each hand, he is unsure how to help, so he tries to pry one off Vaddara. When he gets close, he sees red glowing eyes on it, looking at him from the folds of the creature. Two whip-like tails he didn't notice earlier flash out, each hitting him [4] and [3]. He isn't able to pry anything.
Hepla flies back over, ending up overhead, just out of the silence area. She also looks around for the other one that flew away, but cannot see it.
Iislme tells the Charmed Orc to order the orcs to stand fast defensively while he uses great magics. She tells it to move to the doorway and wave his hands and point outside, at which point she casts a continual light spell at the ledge of the building above the doorway. This really impresses the other orcs. She then flies outside above the doorway on the outside. She sees an orc inside the doorway at the end of the south ally. She also sees an old grizzled orc coming out of the building to the NE, about 10' away. He looks like a shaman.
"Gtm mmm thmmm offammmm" Elrae yells as he tries to remove the cloaker off of him.
Vaddara is continually bitten [6] as is Elrae [0 again]. Noot backs away as Hepla casts Magic Missiles at the cloakers [yes, that's what they are]. Three streak into the one enfolding Elrae [4] and [0] to Elrae. Two hit the one enfolding Vaddara [3] and [2] to Vaddara.
Thorgrim takes out his dagger, steps up, and stabs at the one attacking Elrae. He hits it for [3] and [3] to Elrae [guess his Stoneskin's over!] He is attacked by two whipping tails but both miss, slapping harmlessly against his armor.
Berenn attacks the one holding Vaddara, missing. He is hit by one tail, which narrowly misses his eye [10: x2 crit]. The Earth Elemental then moves up and rips at the one holding Elrae, but it fails to grab it. Emyn tries to hack at it as well, but he misses.
Rakk reloads his crossbow, keeping an eye on the skies, while Ralph bites at the one holding Vaddara [3] to it and [3] to Vaddara.
Isilme casts Charm Person, successfully charming the orc shaman. She tells the Orc shaman, "dear friend, get inside and support the Orc saving his arms in the doorway. He holds the approval of Markessa." She sends the shaman to join the others, telling him to make sure everyone is together. She then flies off to rejoin the party. There she sees them in the middle of some kind of fight, though she has a hard time understanding what's happening at first. Only after does she see that Vaddara and Elrae are wrapped up by cloakers.
"Brace yourselves for magical fear if you can," she says. "I intend to try and drive the cloakers away. And leave the orcs be; I've charmed their leaders."
Noot moves away, backing off to look back around the corner. He sees the dead orc lying there and no sign of the cloaker.
Rakk and Hepla stay back, hearing Isilme's voice, but everyone else is inside the silence, so they hear nothing. Thorgrim steps back out, realizing he is doing more harm than good. The elemental fails to grab hold of the one wrapping Vaddara as they flop around. It is attacked by a tail, but with no effect. Emyn attacks it as well, hitting it with his sword [3] and [2] to Vaddara.
Ralph continues tearing at it as well, doing another [1: finally see the benefit of rolling a "1"! split in half, Vaddara takes nothing!]
Berenn backs out of the silence area to cast a spell too. He then hears Isilme say to stay clear. Hepla casts Pacify while maintaining her flying position above the fray. The one attacking Elrae lets go rather than bites him, and it flies up and away. Rakk takes a shot at it as it flies up and away, but he misses, his bolt flying off into the darkness.
The last cloaker continue its attack, and Vaddara takes [4].
Isilme summons Maerthorlear's Emotion ability, and the sword sings a calming effect. The cloaker is not affected, though Vaddara and Emyn are. Ralph bits at it again, missing, and is hit by two whipping tails [8 total]. Vaddara takes another [5]. The elemental then grabs hold of the cloaker and successfully rips it from her [7]. It then tears it to pieces, and the thing lets loose a horrible shriek as it dies! Which of course nobody hears in the silence! Vaddara is unconscious.
Thorgrim drags her out of the silence area, where he and Berenn can cast some curative spells upon her.
Emyn says, "Those creatures were fearsome. We should be on our guard for more."
"I'm thinking surprise is lost," says Rakk. "Do we want to just attack the orcs?"
Isilme flies down so the party can hear her. "I have charmed a couple orcs, the leader and shaman. They are gathering all their forces in the large building off the plaza. I cast a light spell above the doorway."
"Should I change into Markessa now?" asks Hepla. "I'm sure I can fool them, but what is the plan?"
Emyn says, "Should we not interrogate the two charmed orcs first to determine what Markessa was up to before you try to impersonate her?"
"Markessa does not explain her actions to underlings," Hepla says.
"I should speak with the charmed ones first," says Isilme. "Find out what those orders are. The more information we have before you impersonate Markessa, the better job you'll do."
"I suppose we should find out if they know anything or maybe what forces they have left," says Berenn.
Isilme flies back out to the plaza where she can see into the room and spot the shaman. Using her Message spell which is still running, she messages him to go back to his quarters and await her there. The shaman then leaves and goes across the plaza, stealthily watching the skies and around, and enters the building across the way.
Isilme then goes to question him. "What do you know of what Markessa was doing or searching for here?" asks Isilme.
Luckily, he speaks halting common! He shrugs. "She did no tell us things. Just go. She came look something, then left."
"What were your orders and why were you left here?" she presses.
"She tell us, search city. Find ancient magics." He shakes his head. "Find only dead. We end up down here, down long slide. Cannot get out."
"Where is Markessa now, where did she go?"
"Don't know," he says. "She never come down here. Saw paintings on wall, then left."
"What is the best way to communicate with or find Markessa on the surface?"
Again, he shrugs. "Don't know. She come get us. Promise us riches. Gives us death."
"What paintings did she look at?" asks Isilme. "Where? Did she go somewhere else after this or vanish afterward?"
"The painting was in a palace on the surface. Then she just vanished! We not told anything else." He shrugs, "She doesn't explain, just orders."
"I will lead you and your people out," says Isilme, "and I need you to show me this painting." She will tell him to return the group and prepare them for the arrival of a Drow Agent of Markessa and her guards. While the shaman returns to the orcs, Isilme returns to the party to share what she learned.
"Sounds like she split in a hurry and left these poor bastards to die," says Berenn.
"Clearly Markessa was not down here," says Isilme. "We can easily get back down here when we are ready, but I am here to track Markessa. I will not explore the entire underground when my goal is in sight. I am going to pursue this lead."
"I agree," says Berenn. "Lets head back to the surface."
Emyn agrees too. "The surface is better though I dislike the idea of setting the orcs free."
With the rest of the party in agreement, Isilme sends the priest forward to prepare the orcs for the arrival of Markessa's drow agent. She will gather the party, drop invisibility, and enter the room alone, greeting the priest and warrior she charmed.
In common (order the priest to translate as well), she says:
"I have been sent by Markessa to find her great magics and lead you as I see fit. I am disappointed to find a group of "warriors" cowering in fear underground. I will lead you back to the surface, where we will search the area again. Perhaps there you can redeem yourselves and show yourselves of worth. Those who serve me faithfully will get the riches they were promised. Those who betray will also get the reward they deserve....death."
A half orc steps up. He is apparently this group's actual leader. His name is Graako. He is a thin, violent-looking figure with black leather armor and a couple of long blades on his hip. Of course, he is totally cowed by this Dark Elf agent of Markessa, and only too happy to order everyone to follow. The orcs are joined by two ogres as well.
"Outside are my personal guard," she motions for the group to step into the light. "Follow me now to the surface, or stay and die." She yawns as if these orcs are petty and beneath her. She turns to the charmed warrior, "form them up and move out in a defensive grouping following my lead." She turns to the shaman and says quietly, "stay by my side, and once we reach the surface lead me to the painting."
"Move out!"
She will use her innate ability to "dispel magic" to put out her continual light at maximum range once everyone is out and moving. Together everyone marches back to the tower. There they can use the archway to regain the surface.
Once on the surface she address the group of orcs again. She draws Maethorlear and says, "You found yourself trapped below without the powerful magics you were ordered to find through failure of your current leadership."
She casts "hold person" (song) on Grakko, who is frozen in his tracks. "This one must pay for his failures."
There are 20 orcs and 2 ogres. They are all totally relieved to be on the surface, and couldn't care less about what happens to Grakko.
Isilme points at her charmed warrior. "You will lead in his place, and bring your troops to glory and riches... do not fail me. Who among you will not follow my chosen?" When none say anything, she glares at the group with an evil sneer. "Then take your rightful place warrior, she says to the charmed orc, "and behead this failure."
It happily beheads its previous leader, and after this is done Isilme turns to the priest. "Lead me to this painting."
They take you to a half-ruined palace. It is here that you see the evidence that the city was not built by the Suel, but rather by another people, before them. Despite the partial rebuilding of the city by the Suloise, one can steadily discover convoluted wall writings and bas-relief murals from a civilization older than the Suel, revealed by the partially collapsed walls. The spirally-convoluted script is definitely NOT Suel. These bas-reliefs are not enhanced by any type of paint. Artistic themes include battles of huge cats versus men and animal-headed men, animal-headed spiders and spider-men versus flying men. Another enigmatic theme is the battle of flying fighters and a wizard with a gargantuan octopus sporting a gem with eight beams above its eyes. The winner of the battle seems to be the wizard, trying to take the gem.
"After seeing this, Markessa left,," he says. "That was two weeks ago."
You note that the language is an ancient form of Flan. You've heard it called Ur-Flan or Ur-Flannae. The Ur-Flannae were rare mystics, sorcerers, wizards, and necromancers among the ancient Flan tribes and kingdoms. Some of the more notable Ur-Flannae included Vecna and Keraptis.
[DM OOC: It doesn't say anything that is worth me making up right now. It was the image which made Markessa leave.]
"Sounds to me Markessa is after the gem also," says Vaddara. "Emyn's future probably depends on us getting their first."
Rakk is laughing,"Yes, Emyn's fate and Markessa's are tied, it seems. So the run to stop Markessa, save Emyn and release the demigod are one. Just have to win the race."
"So how can we possibly find this gem?" asks Thorgrim. "Consult sages? They know next to nothing."
"I know where this Soul Gem lies," says Elrae. "Remember when we were in Hardby and we were asking about the Star Cairns?" After a couple people nod, he continues. "There was an old man there who told us the story of the the Ghost Tower of Inverness. He said it guarded a Soul Gem."
"I recall something of the sort," Thorgrim says. "Our path seems clear: we must make all haste to the Bright Desert. If we had chosen to investigate rather than rush home to Hommlet, perhaps this trip into the Suss could have been avoided entirely. Though it was not without its rewards."
Hepla looks at the picture of the gem to see if there is anything distinctive about it. She will try with that mental picture to, and once again use her crystal ball to locate the gem.
"If you wanted that to work, you would need to take the crystal ball to that god in the lake and have him scry his gem for us," says Isilme. "Pretty sure HE has seen it," she says sarcastically, looking at Hepla with an arched eyebrow.
"Worth a try," Hepla replies, putting away her crystal ball.
Berenn creates food and water for as many as he can ... softly muttering something about "There's something out there waiting for us, and it ain't no man. We're all gonna die."
[Isilme OOC: OOC: We should wait outside and beat her **** and take the gem after her battle. She should be lower level then us, not having done all these kick **** mega-adventures like we have since we last saw her, but I doubt it works that way......]
"With a two week lead the only way to even have a chance of beating her there is flying in a direct line with the speed of a dragon, and if she is using teleport magic or flight magic also, there is NO chance," says Isilme. "Does anyone have any ideas?"
"There is always a chance," Thorgrim says. "We still must try. Without her Orc army she might fail in the attempt. She might succeed and still be unable to use the gem. She could be delayed in a thousand ways. Also, what makes you think she knows the location of the Soul Gem? She may have returned to her base in the south Suss to do further research. Although it doesn't seem she keeps a base at all, anymore, after our having destroyed the last one."
Emyn says, "I think we have an advantage here. Markessa probably does not know where the gem is located, while we do. Her head start was probably spent on research. We need to cross the rest of the Suss to get to Elredd and take ship to Hardby to investigate those Star Cairns."
Hepla remembers her augury from before the party entered the Suss. It showed them crossing a large body of water, and she now realizes that was not the Jewel River at all.
"Could some of the mages not polymorph into flying things and cut her off at the pass sort to speak giving the others time to catch up?" says Noot, who then goes back to kicking the dirt and looking like he is not paying attention.
"Probably not Noot," replies Emyn. "We have no idea where she is, so we only have a general sense of where she is going."
"Well if we have determined where we are going perhaps we should get started," he says. "I don't like this city."
Rakk speaks up. "If she wishes to bring an army, she will be traveling much slower than we can. Even if she doesn't, she seems to prefer to send others into danger first. That means she is unlikely to be speedily acquiring anything, assuming she knows where she is going. Thus, we should try to get to this 'Ghost Tower' as soon as we can. If nothing else, to catch her before she leaves. Unless you wish to drop chasing her and allow her to go freely where she will, and I gather that is not your desire."
Just after the party steps outside, it starts to pour rain, extremely hard and lots of it! They go back into the building where they rest and heal up.
Emyn says, "I hope this isn't the start of Zendrelda's flood."
Later on you see a familiar face step out of nowhere, it is Brytallis, your old traveling companion from a couple years ago!
Brytallis
Brytallis is Burne's apprentice now. He explains that Lareth came looking for Burne, but the old man was in Verbobonc. Brytallis was understandably wary of Lareth, having heard of what transpired in the Moathouse and the untimely death of poor Spugnoir. "Alas, I knew him well." However, he did go with him, and was shown the mirror. Seeking into it, he found he could scry those he knew. He scried Gotrek, for who could forget such a character. He saw him amidst a group of dwarven warriors, but ascertained that he was not actually with the rest of you. Thus he scried Elrae, the bard who had made such fun of him when he left the group. He gives Elrae a bit of a glare. However, he saw you all just sitting around, and with much trepidation, and even greater assurances by Lareth, he stepped through the mirror and found himself here.
Return to Hommlet
I assume you all step through without a moment's hesitation. The orcs and ogres are left with orders to head back home. They would be only too happy to get out of this foul place! Thus, one way or another, the party suddenly finds itself back in Hommlet, at the home which Isilme has had built. They appear in her island sanctuary. I'll assume you all leave and head back to the Trading Post to deposit your money and then to the Inn.
Hepla notes that Star is not around.
Thorgrim will check in on Lyseios to see how he's doing, and to see if he's been able to produce some Potions of Healing or Extra-Healing in our absence, from the Community Treasure Fund, which funds to be reimbursed from those desiring potions. He will ensure that all party members have two weeks' food provisions for the difficult journey ahead. He will replace all the mundane items he discarded in order to make room for the massive treasure haul.
"We can likely re-supply in Greyhawk City or Hardby," he says. "Not sure if we'll need horses, but I suppose that will halve the time needed to get to Verbobonc. We can always trade them in for camels before we hit the desert. I look forward to meeting with Lady Huerta again."
Thorgrims finds that Lyseios has created 6 Potions of Healing and 4 Potions of Ex-Healing while you were gone. He distributes them amongst the party. The money they found is then deposited in the Trading Post. The party has big plans for it all, but there's no time. Soon as they are able, they leave for Verbobonc. They are in "hot pursuit!"
Thus we finish the Lost City of the Suel adventure....for now....
Follow the continuing adventures of the Heroes of Hommlet as they set off for the Ghost Tower of Inverness, hot on the trail of the vile Markessa. Can they get there first? Can they gain the Soul Gem and save Emyn? Follow the link below to find out....
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