Session 10: To Candlekeep Report

General Summary

...Following an intense battle the party managed to slay both the barbed devil, 4 cultists, and Thalmara Vanthampur. With The Vanthampur family now either dead, missing, or captured, their villainous dealings in the city had been brought to an end. Furthermore upon the discovery of Thavius Kreeg in the Vanthampur basement, the party managed to glean some broken information from him:
 

He and Thalmara both worshiped Zariel

They were planning to seize power in Baldur's Gate

He had damned all of Elturel to the Nine Hells.

Although adamant at first that he was a holy man that needed to be protected, after hearing his confession Reya flew into a zealous rage and beheaded Thavius; her long time religious idol. Now in a catatonic state of denial. Reya became unresponsive. However to lighten the mood, Falaster mentioned that with the Vanthampurs gone they were technically entitled to their remaining treasures.   Upon trying to escape however, the group was cornered by a large collective of Flaming Fist and City Watch guards led by Captain Zodge. After some breif conversation, they managed to convince Zodge to not kill them right away, and just as he prompted new questions, a new fiugre appeared. From behind a wall of swords, Commander Liara Portyr, niece of Duke Dillard Portyr. Although she was stationed at a Flaming Fist island outpost in Chult, she had been called back to Baldur's Gate after the disappearance of Ulder Ravengard to take control of the Fist. Much to Zodge's surprise, she arrived a few weeks early.   Commander Portyr revealed to the group that her and some other officials had been quite suspicious of the Vanthampurs for a while now and been concerned about a possible connection with the Cult of the Dead Three. However with no concrete proof to risk mounting an investigation without any starting point could become a huge embarrassment, or worse earn the ire of Thalmara. As such they needed a third party with looser connections to the Flaming Fist to get involved. That's where the party came in.   Although slightly sore about the idea of being used, the promised payment of 200 Gp each helped alleviate this if only slightly.   With the issue of the Cult put to rest (at least for now), Liara turned her line of questioning to that of the Puzzle box, and the threat of an infernal abduction of Baldur's Gate (and perhaps other cities), if the issue wasn't dealt with. With her hands full putting the pieces of the city back together, Commander Portyr bid the group to travel with Falaster on his way to Candlekeep and deliver the Infernal Puzzle box to Sylvira Savikas. A great sage who hopefully could shed some light on the situation. After providing the group with provisions and a carriage, they began their five day journey to Candlekeep.   Intermittently was a small pit stop at Little Calimshan to fence the stolen ingots and gems at the Calim Jewel Emproium. Some proper introductions from Falaster and Chelle, a few rounds of Chess (and the creation of a leaderboard), and a little bit of fun with some new pipes and a small dab of hashish.   At the end of their Journey, they arrived at Candlekeep, the Library Fortress. They we're admitted entry, assigned rooms, and told to await a messenger who would bring them to Sylvira.   In the meantime they had a few drinks at the Hearth, got to know a rather intelligent Ogre who went by Little One, and got settled in their rooms.   Soon after, the party was greeted by a demonic looking creature who claimed his name was Pipyap and told them to follow him to Sylvira's Labratory. There they were introduced to The Great Sage Sylvira Savikas, Chelle's aunt, and delivered to her the infernal puzzle box. After some slight deliberation, and Sylviras confessions of her own suspicions about Thavius Kreeg for quite some time, she opened the box to reveal nine chain linked black iron plates  which dictated an infernal contract signed by Kreeg. The contract designated the being known as Zariel as his master, and submitting Elturel --and all its people-- to her. Reya was devasted at the confirmation of Thavius Kreeg's confession but managed to compose herself and decide that she would right his wrongs and save Elturel herself. Slightly disturbed Sylvira told the group she would need to convene the wisest member of Candlekeep for a Crisis Conclave in two days to decide next steps.   In the meantime she gave the party free reign over the splendors of the library of Candlekeep with runner monks to guide them.   Over the next 36 hours the party members studied and explored; gleaning some new insight, lore, and abilities.   On the morning of the 31st of Tarsakh, the day of the Greengrass Festival. A Crisis Conclave was held at Candlekeep to question the adventurers who had delivered the inferal puzzle box to Candlekeep.   After some various lines of questioning and bickering among the conclave members, Sylvira explained that this crisis left alone could eventually leave every city across the sword coast, perhaps Faerun vulnerable to infernal abduction. She claimed that the only way to save Eltrurel and cut the weed at the root, was to destroy the companion, a gleaming orb of energy above Elturel which acted as the fulfillment of the pact between Kreeg and Zariel.   It was here that the endless chant of Candlekeep filled the hall and Alaundo ordained that "The bearers of the Hidden Lord would travel to Avrernus to save Elturel from the lady of broken light."   With their fate dictated by the great prophet himself, the party agreed to travel into Avernus and save the city. The conclave equipped them with some helpful items, and Milbi, the great reader of divination explained that to get into Elturel they would have to use the same portal that the hellriders used centuries ago to charge into Avernus. Although no one knew where it was, she claimed that Miirym would know. The rest of the conclave began to make excuses of why they could not ask Miirym but not too long after a horde of horned fiends began to emerge from the puzzle box and wreak havock in Candlekeep. The conclave members began fighting the beasts and sounding alarms all over the library as the devils had begun to make their way out to other towers. In the chaos Sylvira ordered Pipyap to take the group to her library, find Elminsters Candlekeep Companion, and open it to chapter two. Although Chelle begged her aunt to come with them, she yelled at them to leave with haste, hesitantly, Chelle left her aunt behind.   In her library they discovered the book and opened it to chapter two. And one by one, whoever looked into the chapter vanished, until all of them had been transported to some cavern with gleaming crystalline stalagmites and stalactites and a faint shimmering light ahead.   Upon approaching the light, it vanished for a moment, and from the darkness emerged a colossal spectral dragon head which spoke to them:   "It's been so long sine I last had visitors, What can Miirym do for you?"...

Rewards Granted

• Bag of Beans (5)   • Dimensional Shackles (5)   • Folding Boat (1)   • Necklace of Adaptation (5)   • Potions of Healing (7)   • 1550 Gold Pieces   • 100 Platinum Pieces   • Ceremonial Bone Hilted Dagger with the inscription "Fang" in Draconic

Missions/Quests Completed

Dealing with the Dead Three

Complestes

Saving Hellturel -Begun

Created Content

Melanthios, First Reader of Candlekeep.

Rafiq, Keeper of the Emerald Door.

Jingfei, Great Reader of Necromancy.

Traxigorican, Great Reader of Evocation.

Explodemius, Weaponsmith of Candlekeep.

Serasriel, Gatewarden of Candlekeep.

Milbi, Great Reader of Divination.

Commander Liara Portyr

Little Calimshan

Calim Jewel Emporium

Oasis Theare

Wyrm's Crossing

Danthelon's Dancing Axe

The Emerald Door

The Court of Air

The Hearth

House of Rest

The Infernal Spire

Fyrentennimar

Spire of Sylvanus

Thava Norixius

Leuwin

Little One

Pipyap

Egg of Death

Selfsame Bones

Infernal Contract

Dragon Chess Leaderboard

  Updated Content  

Sylvira Savikas

Falaster Fisk

Vanthampur Family

Thalmara Vanthampur

Captain Zodge

Thavius Kreeg