The party stands atop a ridge overlooking the the keep and considers their options to get in. After some discussion, Kella, Geo, Hulnir, Sashka, and Hasselhoff decide to make use Garnok’s stone shaping and enter through a wall on the bottom floor. The walls and windows of the keep seem strangely empty as they sneak across the dale and set up next to the wall. Garnok touches the stone of the wall and traces a circle with his finger and the stone inside the circle instantly turns to thin mud and sloughs away. Through the new hole, they can see a small room with two doors, and part of an interior wall that was bisected by the hole. The other space appears to be a small vertical shaft with a metal cage and a chain running up into the upper reaches of the keep.
Not ones to waste time, the party climbs into the room and Garnok crouches down by the wall and once still seems to blend into the stones of the mountain seamlessly. Uhr instructs Garnok to keep an eye on the outside of the keep wall for any red dots. If spotted, Garnok is to try and assault the spot and break a new hole in the keep. In the room, the party finds nothing but dust and detritus. Moving through the door deeper into the keep they find a room full of desks and plans. The plans seem to all be for pieces of massive plate armor, too big even for giants. Geo also immediately notices that the armor lacks typical attachment points, and instead just has massive bolt holes. The room they are in has one other door, and through it they can all hear the sounds of a busy smiths workshop. Rhythmic bangs and clanging echo through the room, and the sounds of cursing and yelling in Dwarvish can be heard even over the racket of the workshop beyond. Geo takes all the plans he can stuff in his bag, while Kella peaks into the hallway beyond the cracked door. There she spies a Duergar (Subterranean dwarves, rarely seen on the surface) leaned back in a wooden chair against the hallway wall snoring loudly with a large clay jug dangling loosely from his hand. After some debate, Kella and Geo agree to try to quickly and mercifully kill the guard before he wakes, and are able to do so. The body is moved back to the elevator antechamber and left. Everyone peaks around the corner at the end of the hallway and finally gets a glimpse of the workshop.
The party looks into a long room some 60 feet to the far wall, and 40 or so deep. In the middle of the space a large metal cage made of fine mesh holds a very angry fire elemental. Next to the cage is a metal trough where large pieces of metal can be moved to be passed beneath the elemental and heated. Next to the trough a huge work table surrounded by wenches, cranes and counterbalanced hammers as large as people. A huge sheet of steel is on the table and being manipulated by 5 Duergar, while a 6th stands off to the side holding plans. The work table is near the front middle wall of the keep and rests on a set of short rails that lead to a slope and down into and underneath the front wall of the keep. A glitter of ice can be seen at the top of this slope. Against the front wall and adjacent to the slope is another cage. This one some 10 feet tall and 30 feet long, it holds a prone frost giant, with one finger extended and touching the icy slope. The giant moans and seems unaware of it’s surroundings. Even at this distance, it’s body and ragged clothing obviously covered in patches of some sort of yellow mold. The far end of the room holds some storage bins and a ramp up to another large double door.
Hasselhoff notices that there appears to be a large release handle on the side of the fire elemental cage, and also a massive cauldron suspended by chains hanging directly over the cage, with wisps of steam rising from it. These chains are attached to release pulls on the wall on the far side of the room. At this moment, the Idol of the Sightless Seer leaps out of Uhr’s pack and hovers in the air briefly. Uhr feels a tug deep within as if his soul is being pulled, and suddenly he and his companions are sucked into the idol and it falls to the floor. Stunned, the rest of the party decides to press on, and try to figure it out later. Hasselhoff retreats out of earshot and casts Unseen Servant and commands it to go and pull the release on the elemental’s cage. The party all watches as nothing appears to happen for a minute until the handle gently wiggles, but doesn’t seem to make much progress. The unseen servant is unfortunately quite weak, but with no other commands, it persists. While the party takes a few minutes to come up with another plan, the servant keeps at it’s task, slowly making progress on the handle. Just as the party is ready to spring their plan, the handle screeches, and the walls of the elemental’s cage fall away. Chaos.
Kella leaps into action and attacks the nearest Duergar, while Hasselhoff enshrouds the Duergar leader in a Cloud of Daggers. Kella’s target shouts an arcane phrase and turns invisible as the fire elemental, freed of its terrible servitude immediately attacks the nearest captor and kills one of the Duergar. Geo leaps into the fray and engages with another of the deep dwarves but doesn’t land a hit. Uhr suddenly pops back into existence next to Hasselhoff who is now in possession of the idol. A life on the street taught him how to adapt to the unforeseen, and Uhr is able to quickly find his place in the chaos. Two of the Dueregar from the table dash for the chains attached to the cauldron, as Sashka see’s the path and hits the elemental and the two Duergar by the chains with Bane. Hulnir casts grease on one of the same, while Uhr realizes he speaks primordial, and casts Suggestion on the fire elemental. An easy enough course of action for the elemental; kill its former captors, and protect the party and they will help it exact it’s revenge.
A pitched battle ensues and the cauldron is partially released, dousing the fire elemental and nearly killing it. The Duergar also hit another release and the work table and nearly finished piece of armor starts sliding towards the slope and massive clanking sounds rattle teeth as something is raised down at the bottom of the ramp.
Meanwhile, back in the hallway, Hasselhoff hears a strangled scream falling down the elevator shaft and quickly cut off with a crunchy wet thud. The sounds of the chain rattling quickly follow, and a moment later a large and very angry looking Orc in a torn slip covered in blood steps out of the elevator shaft door. Princess Vlakith has rescued her self. Bare feet leaving bloody footprints on the stone, Princess Vlakith’s once long and thick hair done in traditional braids now ends just beyond her scalp where it appears to have been roughly cut. Clutched in her right hand are those same braids, now with a stone brick woven onto the ends. The brick drips gore, and a faint glow seems to be fading from it’s surface.
Back in the main room, Uhr uses Misty Visions and places a target just outside the wall above the icy ramp, and soon the sound of massive impacts not against the keep’s wall, but coming up the ramp are heard. In moments Garnok’s hands can be seen slamming into and through the ice and digging deep into the stone beneath as his massive head pulls up the slope and into the room. Garnok turns and sees the moaning form of the captive frost giant, and roars in anger…
As Eoin, Sixela, and Benji step into the interior of the cavern, a tiered pyramid looms over them. Atop the pyramid an altar decorated with the likeness of snakes and snake-headed men holds up the body of a devil, the one and only Balphagore Lord of Chains. He is bound by massive silvered chains to four pillars which stand at the corners of the pyramid.
Darqour, who is leading the ritual atop the pyramid, walks down the steps of the pyramid and greets the trio of disguised adventurers. He monologues for a bit, letting the adventurers know that once the ritual has been completed and the devil has been bled, the vines at the foot of the pyramid will be transformed into the legendary ember-vine, which will empower Lucar’s Bane as it marches on Landfall. The trio attempts to con Darqour, but he recognizes Sixela and tries to manipulate them into cutting into the flesh of Benji, who is pretending to be the captive of Sixela and Eoin.
At the same time, Heimer – who has been hiding inside of a tunnel on the far side of the pyramid – speaks the command word into the magical spider-idol that they found back at Stallenor’s house. A loud pop rings throughout the cavern as Uhr, a genie warlock currently adventuring in the Wolf’s Teeth mountains, is pulled through time and space and a spectral echo of him is projected here.
With the loud noise and commotion, a fight begins. Acolytes from around the altar charge towards the tunnel entrance, a giant owl flits from pillar to pillar, and mercenaries loose bolts from around the pyramid. Uhr, his dire wolf, and his weasel immediately jump into action alongside Heimer. With a flash of fangs, magical bolts, and flames Darqour falls quickly to the party. Only seconds after he appears, and after delivering the killing blow, Uhr vanishes.
Benji, hands shackled, makes a deal with Balphagore. Balphagore releases him from his shackles, and hurriedly requests that Benji smash the chains binding him to the altar. Sixela transforms into a mountain goat and begins ramming her head into one of the ancient pillars around the altar, sending chunks of ancient stone flying. As Benji brings his warhammer down on the shackles, Sixela manages to topple one of the pillars with a second ram. The falling stone crashes into the pyramid, which begins to shake and tremor.
Balphagore, arms freed, uses the broken chains to restrain a nearby acolyte, but not before the acolyte can finish the exsanguination ritual, sending streams of infernal blood down the altar to the mass of vines lying in a basin at the foot of the pyramid. The ember-vine comes to life as flames run across its writhing form, and it begins ascending the pyramid.
The quaking pyramid begins collapsing, revealing a cavernous pit beneath it. Chittering and clicking echoes out of the pit, as some carapace horror begins to crawl towards the surface. The party members decide to GTFO, and manage to unshackle the final two binds holding Balphy in place. They make it to the cavern entrance as the vines and the giant bug-monster begin to tangle. Balphagore wraps two of his chains around a pair of remaining pillars and offers the party a deal: he will bring down the cavern on top of the two monsters, guaranteeing an escape with no repercussions, in exchange for a soul.
After a moment of consideration, the party unanimously decides to forego the deal.
After our fight, we settled for an overnight long rest. Andoryx settles into a comfortable lounge chair. Cardigan settles down in a nest of sorts and cracks a book. Ta’asu snoozes comfortably, after instructing their companion Hiss to keep watch. Toof sets up a fire, and skewers and roasts some finger-dogs before taking a rest. Artaire has the trees weave an elevated nest.
Cardigan, needing nothing more than a 4 hour trance instead of a full night sleep and Hiss both keep watch while the others rest.
A couple of hours into the night three shadowy figures appear out of the mist, and Cardigan instantly recognizes them as Captain Churg and two other Kuatoa ship mates, from the Underdark. They give us praise and many thanks, being the god-lovers that they are, and bestow upon our party the ability to call up two kuatoa to help us when once per day. We did save their village from capture, and they are so very thankful. They leave without much fuss, besides the cheering on and on.
A few hours later, Cardigan, having been in a trance, is awoken with hiss the snake nudging its mechanical face into his side, having seen another shadowy figure emerge from the morning shadows of the surrounding forest. It’s a person that cardigan recognizes as a fellow listener, and one who mentions an the idyll. They warn cardigan that one of us is a follower or.. something like that. (Honestly I got a little lost during this discussion, someone fill us in here)
Another shadowy figure emerges around dawn. The party arises to greet the merchant Damos. He tries to sell us wares and potions, again. Andoryx buys a horn, the only affordable thing available. None of the party really has the kind of gold to throw around on the potions and wares that the merchant is selling. Toof and cardigan offer a barter for a healing potion. Having no idea what the glowing mushrooms they have from the underdark are worth, they only offer one of the mushrooms and some gold along with cardigan’s offering.
Damos warns us of some nasty poison welding green and black wearing folk, up along the trail a few hours at a river-side farmstead. Being that he isn’t a fan of the cult, he forewarns us that there’s bad business up there, and wishes us good luck as he sets off.
Artaire talks with the crows who fly overhead in the opposite direction of our travel. They tell Artaire that it smells like carrion. The party suspects undead. Toof scouts ahead and stealthily swims up to a farmhouse with a water wheel attached. She is able to catch a glimpse of the scene awaiting the adventurers using the water wheel for cover.
There are three giant wasps hanging about. Another extra large wasp is being milked by a zombie. That’s right, milked. There’s another large zombie who’s taking the wasp milk, bucket by bucket, and dumping it into the river. There’s a locked chicken coop imprisoning three children and two oldies. Last but not least there’s a rag person. A person made of rags. As the party though…
The party snuck up, stealthily thanks to pass without trace casted by Artaire. Andoryx casts Tasha’s hideous laughter spell on the rag person causing them to fall out of their chair, and begin uncontrollably laughing. Turns out it’s not a person made of rags but rather one just wearing a bunch of rags. Andoryx uses silent servant to push the big milk dumper into the water. Toof has swam across shore and is listening for the buzzing of large wasp wings.Firebolt starts a haystack on a cart fire. Mage hand unlocks the chicken coop lock.We anger a wasp and it goes for Andoryx. Toof is able to shoot an arrow at the wasp, making it miss Andoryx.