TOPIC: Princes of the Apocalypse

Nice write ups guys. I will give out inspiration points on Thursday night.

Letter to Lady Varerie the Seer, Waterdeep

Lady
An update:

Day 4
As promised we descended into the ancient dwarven ruins at the heart of the town. It quickly became apparent that certain of the town notables were using the complex under the town for nefarious purpose.

The vile practices included capturing invaders and sacrificing them to some namely deity.

Those involved including the smith, the tanner, and the stonemason were held by the local constable. A former carpenter Brogastor, whom we captured, was also involved thought to a lesser degree. They will all be tried by a Paladin of Tyr within the month.

These ‘believers’ seemed to think that some ancient bones found in the tunnels were somehow a link to divine guidance or otherworldly knowledge. In practice it seemed they were being duped by a thoroughly evil mystic whose name we did not obtain. We destroyed the mystic, though he seemed to vanish in a flash, and whilst I am clear he was slain, the body was not recovered.

Of additional interest is a room with ‘floating’ stones. Huge rocks that are levitated and capable of being moved. There is some suggestion that they may have properties beyond mere levitation, indeed The Witch speculates that the stones themselves may be responsible for the minor earth tremor that exposed the tunnels.

Upon returning to the adventurer (Kalista), we were advised of a strange happening. Apparently, a party travelling to the Summit Hills from Mirabar went missing. There were transporting the body of a dwarven paladin to his final resting place. The local authorities have turned up nothing. Kalista has asked that we investigate. We leave tomorrow.

Personal note:
Lady, In keeping one oath, it appears I break another. The vengeance I dearly seek against the witch is held in check only by my oath to track and destroy those responsible for the death and destruction in my village. Your visions and prophecy claim I need these people, and I will not desert them… but in doing so, I feel that the ties binding me to Kelemvor are somehow different now. My service is different, and that has consequences that have yet to be made clear. The witch, for her part, has kept a low profile, and was helpful, if not clinically efficient in our encounter with the evil mystic.

Day 8
We arrive in the village of Belyard. This is the last location known for the missing party. Our enquiries are met with mixed response, a few know of the dead dwarf paladin’s retinue, others simply note that they were going to Summit Hall on the Desarin Road. A dwarf mentioned the stone bridge, a landmark of some importance to dwarfkind along our way. I mentioned the ancient dwarf ruins in Red Larch, if they are exposed to scrutiny, then they cannot again be used as a secret haunt of evil.

I will keep you informed of our progress.

Bolder Blood.

Journal of Boldar Blood

I am conflicted, the desire for vengeance is strong and compelling but the seers vision appears to hold true. The witch saved me, indirectly at least.

*******

Kelemvor has seen fit to grant me a vision, just as I was told by the priest, the visions provide access to his power. I have spells that can be used to smite my enemies. I can command those who forsake his realm to rise and do his bidding, and soon he promises that I will be able to call on his chosen to aid me!

*******

Day 9
Following the route toward Summit Hills, we happen upon the scene of a small battle. Nearly a dozen lost their lives here. All bear the mark of the red ax of Mirabar. These are the escort for the missing party.

Two recent graves covered with stones are notable on a small rise above the battle.

I start to bury the dead of Tyr. Surprisingly, without a word, the witch helps. Have I misjudged her or is this some deeper game she plays? Just as we finish the burial, and I speak the words to commit their mortal remains to Kelemvor's care, the others shout. The exposed cairns reveal bugbear dead, and the body of a priest with a golden mask. The robes bare strange triangular symbols, I have not seen before. We take the mask, and a piece of the cloth with the symbols. Suspicion of the witch is causing me to doubt. I must consign that to where it belong. She is a member of the group, if she betrays us then I will deal with it, until then, I must try to build trust. only with trust can the group function with precision, and only with precision can be overcome.

Letter to Lady Varerie the Seer, Waterdeep

Lady
Further update:

Day 10

We trailed the bugbear kidnappers to the edge of a gorge, though this term scarcely does it credit, the chasm is huge, stretching for miles and delving deep into the ground. The trail simply disappeared. No amount of woodcraft could find it. A surmise is that some form of powerful sorcery was used to magically transport the group. Either that, or they flew? Neither option makes any sense. However there may be some hope of an explanation. There is a tower, which we learned is called the Feathergale Tower, a huge structure standing on the edge of the gorge, easily 300m high and slender as a blade. There is something unsettling about the construction.

Urthan scouted the gorge, he was gone for hours, and returned breathless and concerned. No evidence of the bugbears existed, but the gorge was a place of hunter and hunted, giant spiders and scorpions, mixed with large clawed predators, also the rogue noted, huge birds high in the sky. The gorge and its valley was a place to avoid in the first instance.

We approached the tower. The place is a fortress. Incapable of being taken by force without significant magical aid. We chose to disguise ourselves as members of the cult we seek. A risky strategy and one that nearly caused problems. Fortunately, we were admitted after discussing our situation with a female knight of stunning appearance.

The place feels strange… there is no evil here that I can sense, and the Knights of Feathergale appear genuine, but something is… odd. Commander is Therl Moussaka, an human in his mid-50’s but still hale. We discussed our needs honestly. He claims to know the of the Evil Cult in the area and was happy to help in any way.

Our discussions were interrupted by shouts of “Manticore!” The Commander urged the knight and ourselves to join the hunt. We were mounted on griffins and raced into the sky, a truly exhilarating experience! We slew a manticore in the process earning better relations with the Knights in the process and a feast!

Plied with food and drink our group retired or continued revelry.

…..


Betrayed….



"That's a bit of a turn up!" Dave watched the cultists ran in to attack the two warriors in the main hall.

"Regrettably this was always going to happen." Nar Ator was conciliatory in his tone with no implied criticism. "They dont know enough of the cults yet to suspect everyone they meet.q

"Look at that!" Dave directed Nar Ator to the combat taking place. The group, Dave was beginning to think of them as his 'team', had dispatched the four knights with aplomb.

"Don't get too excited, it isn't all hearts and flowers!" the scene shifted in time tor Dave to watch the a door being kicked in and armed men entering the warlocks chamber and then stand perplexed "But that's quite clever, perception shifted slightly and Warlock came clearly into view.

"She's invisible!" Dave was impressed as she crept out of the room into the corridor.

Slightly further down the corridor, the rogue was in savage hand to hand combat with armoured knights, with Nar Ator dryly commenting on effectiveness of swords in close quarters and how in his experience a decent dagger carefully applied was worth far more than laying waste with a sword... Dave wasnt paying attention....

"It might not be all hearts and flowers, but I'm blowed as to why the bard is running naked down the corridor chased by the equally naked woman wielding a dagger..."

"Your probably not far off Dave, you might not be the only one thats been blowed this evening..."

"Now he's climbed out of that window. what the hell is he doing? What the hell is going on!" Dave was a little concerned he was loosing perspective.

"All to fast for you?" Nar Ator sounded smug. press that button there.... the one marked 'pause'.

Dave push the button that suddenly appeared. Everything froze as if trapped in amber.

"Blimey, that's good Nar, so what is going on?"

"It wouldn't be fair to tell you yet, Dave, you might adversely influence things, but it certainly seems that the Knights of Feathergale are in league with the evil cult".

"So what now...?" Dave was a little perplexed.

"press play and find out!"

A big triangular button appeared...

Letter to Lady Varerie the Seer, Waterdeep

Lady
I regret to inform you that our prospective allies the Feathergale Knights are in league with the evil cult.

We dined with them, and then some retired to a well-earned rest, unknowing that we had consumed poison. The ill effects may have been responsible for the early departure of some of number for their beds, either way, the effect was to split us up as a group. The betrayers then tried to waylay each of individually with murderous intent.

Heavily armoured knights supposedly devout in faith but turned assassins assault us. A grievous situation indeed. I am pleased to report that we fought off the charlatan knights slaying a good many of their number, though regrettably more escaped. I am pleased to report all the group are safe and acquitted themselves well, though both Theon and the Witch appear adversely affected by the poison and unresponsive.

One note of surprise is that the Knight’s leader, Therl Moussaka was found slain, he had written a clue in his own blood, indicating another location within the adjacent valley where the vile knights might be hiding. Such betrayal of laws of chivalry, and hospitality, and the use of poison demand that retribution be meted out to them.

With no means to secure the tower, we have taken useful equipment and resupplied, but destroyed the rest, setting fires, annealing armour and weapons, and destroying any comfort they may find there. I would urge you to send a delegation to the tower, and quickly secure it for it has tactical significance and exceptional surveillance point for the area.

Meanwhile we go to seek retribution and perhaps find more information on this evil cult.

Boldar Blood

Journal of Boldar Blood

Day 10 (cont)

The betrayers are dead. Those that stayed to fight at least retained their honour, but those who ran may be even more dangerous. They killed their commander! Therl was found in Kelemvors embrace at the top of the tower. He had left a message of sorts scrawled in his life blood.

The others probably don’t realise the significance of the blood pact. With due reverence, I remove the items of worth from his body. Payment for the pact seals the bargain. Vengeance must be wreaked on those responsible. Each and every knight of the spire must die and pay the blood oath for their betrayal and cowardice.

Dressed in wereguild plate armour, the spoils of war, and hefting supplies and other loot, we trek back down into the canyon, seeking the location indicated by the dead Knight.

As predicted denizens of the valley made travel difficult, a giant vulture attacked at midday, and we were tracked by wolves and other predators. Our most significant encounter, with the dog like Gnolls, nearly succeeded. They took us by surprise, raining arrows down. We charged and scattered them but the Gnoll Lord leader proved tough and resourceful, finally only felled by our combined efforts.

This place is perilous. Everything here is hunter or prey.

We see the sign, the outcrop marked on the map indicates we are near the lair of the false knights.

Crossing the river, the druid is distraught in losing his pony to the current, such things happen, normally as a result of carelessness, but this seems somehow unlikely given the druid’s reverence for animal life. Is some fell power working against us?

A cleft in the rock is the obvious entrance to caves. Tracks indicate that an armed party came this way.

********

We are attacked, strange robed men leapt from the rocks and attached silently. They wear strange robes, and attack without pause, they are quick, and determined, and resistant to the fear generated by Kelemvors wrath. What manner of beings are these? They wear the symbol of the evil cult, but also strangely 3 other symbols, that appear to have distinct meaning. The four symbols together on one necklace, is there more than one part of the cult, or different aspects?

The answers lie in the darkness ahead.

Journal of Boldar Blood

Day 11
Stepping inside the cavern we rest briefly before continuing. The air is oppressive cold and dank, and it may be my imagination that I hear screams in the distance. Our rogue scouts ahead, claiming outrtorches and lanterns would attract more attention. He is right, but I am concerned that he risks himself by moving beyond my ability to help him should trouble occur.

Within hours he returns. There is nothing of concern other than a winding and hazardous trail, leading down to a huge cavern and what appears to be a city at the bottom of the cavern.

The walk is harrowing. In places the path is so close to the edge of the chasm a simple misstep could be fatal. The cavern opened out and the city seemed to spring into view, seeming lit with natural light from an unknown source. The entrance to city is surrounded by defences, and it is clearly albut impossible to approach without being seen. The entrance appears to be a series of switchbacks that will continually turn the flank of attackers.

Vacillation over how we enter serves no one. We resolve to charge the entrance. The gates are long since down, speed will be our ally.

***********

The fight is over. We entered the gateway, and were attacked instantly, cunningly devised arrow slits with armour plates afford our enemies total cover. Interesting. I shielded my comrades and tried to draw fire.

Bird creatures the bard called Kenku are our assailants. They stand as tall as a man and use weapons with great dexterity. Formidable foes, but slain nonetheless.

It appears these birdmen are like magpies, they seek shiny items of silver and gold and other gewgaws.

The way out is secure. The fortifications are clear of enemies.


**********

This is a dwarven city, or was. I recognise the statue of Moradin, and the efficiency of the fortifications now makes sense.

*************

A hideous site. Men strapped to columns and left to die. The bear the sigils of a cult. They claim to be waiting to ‘live off air’, is this some perversion of elemental air worship common amongst druids? Our own gnome druid appears unimpressed.

They mention someone called Windharrow, presumably a leader here, but are otherwise full of religious zeal. They are a liability. We released one. His screams of torment would wake the dead. I dispose of him and the others, only the barbarian appears to have the stomach for such work. It is necessary to protect our purpose!

**********

This place is full of strangeness. Some awful music being played attracted attention. Several cultists were observed playing flutes… They were so intent on their wailing that they did not notice us until too late. Striking at them from distance we felled two, and then were assaulted with strange darts. These seemed to whisper through the air, and then crackle with the energy of the storm as they struck my shield. The sounds of their flutes seemed to cause fear and compulsion on my comrades. The Druid was compelled to pick up and play a flute, and some of my comrades danced! The effect vanished when it was destroyed. These flutes are made of human bone.

The cultists stood and fought, save one who fled using some form of magical means to pass through a wall heading north? The lone survivor of our struggle claimed he was co-opted into a band. All initiates have the chance to study with Windharrow, and those succeeding make true magic! The man claimed to be a farmer, and also claimed to be cursed though no magic was upon him. I gave him a choice. Leave here and renounce the cult or die here. He ran, leaving the area, a look of terror in his eyes, I believe he is sincere. He will not forgive me, but he may survive. He is unlikely to ‘turn to dust’, and if he does, Kelemvor will surely gather him in.

It is clear we must seek out this Windharrow. The priest of this cult is also still at large (or is this Windharrow creature the same man?). We need to proceed in the direction of Windharrow. Catching him may answer many questions.

Passing the corpses of the initiates, we head towards a large structure with huge doors. Surely this is what we seek!

Guys
apologies I have to attend a meeting tomorrow night in Birmingham. I may not be there if it finishes late...