Session 21: Through the Abyss Report

General Summary

As the party emerges from the portal, returning back to the Dawn Realms from the land of the Fae, they emerge near a jungle village and market bazaar.  Within a few moments, they also come in contact with Zarra through their magical pendants - she has been looking for them for quite some time since they departed south into the Bush of Kitidari nearly two weeks before.  To the party, they feel they have only been gone a week - apparently considerable time difference has occurred while they were in the land of the Fae.   The party moves into the bazaar to restock and enjoy the interesting and adventurous tastes of this exotic place before meeting up with Zarra on the southern side of town.  Climbing the rope ladder up to the awaiting airship Arachne, they are greeted by an ever cheery Fizban, arguing with several smaller birds over his cup of tea on the deck.  They share information on their journey into the Fae, and in return Fizban shares some intelligence regarding Flint Underhill's report about a small tear in the fabric of reality that has occurred in the center of what used to be Arkdale.   Heading further south, they set anchor a short distance from where Merigold and the stone recovered from Jolo's body detect the last werewolf, descending beneath the canopy and walking the final distance to find a collection of bambo and open grass huts.  Beneath this they observe a younger light skinned male accompanied by a dark skinned woman, both dressed in more native aboriginal style jungle attire of skins and leaves.  Once emerging from the shadows, his visage as scarred by a massive wound across is face and through his milky eye, half blinded by this wound.  Surrounding them are 7 other individuals carrying spears, poised in defensive positions as the party approaches.   While not aggressive, the introduction is less than warm - the party finds out this is one Balthore LeGrande, indeed the last remaining descendant that survived the massacre.  Bindi is his mate, apparently with child as the party later discovers, and he warns that she is quite dangerous herself.  He sees no empathy for those whose lives are in danger from the ancient evil; the very ones that destroyed his family and sent him running for his life.  For him he sees no reason to assist the party with their request to provide them what they need to detect their enemy.   As the day waxes long into the evening, a meal is prepared and they begin to feast.  The one heart string that seems to resonate with him is the loss of Jolo - a protector of the forest who is truly a loss.  A well rolled pursuation check and production of the stone from Jolo finally yields his help.  He draws from his back a dagger, one embued with an amber gemstone that glows when close to an intellect devourer or mind flayer - with a sharp strike of the stone from Jolo it cracks the outer casing to reveal an identical stone.  These two stones were created by Balthore's uncle in the depths of the LeGrande fortress many years ago; when carried as a pair the individual gains the ability to detect mind flayers and intellect devourers within a 300 meter radius.   As the party departs, they see Balthore change into wolven form - Bindi as well in a massive tiger form.  The others in the party also change into various beasts as well; clearly this is a group of different were-beasts, ones now off on another hunt.   Setting off towards Arkdale in the newly upgraded ship, the airship powers forward faster than ever before, clearing past the edges of the forest by morning and making it to Arkdale in unimaginable time.  As they near the city limits, they begin to see the remnants of the destroyed town - the walls have all been reduced to rubble - the dead lie everywhere and those remaining appear to be escaping for their lives.  Marigold uses the new magical stones to detect that about 1 in 3 of those wandering about is infected by the intellect devourers.  They set a plan in place - striking from the air Merigold will call out targets for each of the team members and they will pair up to ensure each target is taken down.   The plan appears to be working to great effect - within a few shots they start to eliminate the threats from below; headshots provide easy kills for those with great aim, and for those that miss or are off mark there is an immediate follow up shot that finishes the job.  Continuing to circle and eliminate targets, Fara and a few others notice a change in Shade Cocaomist....her eyes turn jet-black and she leaps from the airship; once making the ground she takes off with an inhuman pace, ducking behind a section of broken wall and distancing herself from the team.   Ricfried and Angelo descend and take off following her on the ground, quickly losing her.  Weltys and Ilyana in bird form take to the skies - flying at breakneck speeds yet still not keeping up with her unnatural speed.  Wellys fires a blunted arrow at Shade's foot - striking it with no affect to Shade's pace.   Before the team can catch her, Shade removes a hidden dagger from her belt, one that has a smoking blade; they recognize this from the one seen in the catacombs of Candlekeep so many months ago.  Reaching with the blade, she rips the small tear into a much larger portal.  A bone chilling whistle pierces the air....preceding the arrival of the necromancer Alastor.  Moments later, a demonic figure twice the size of Shade steps through, thanking her for her assistance.   Alastor reaches forth with his staff, striking the ground with the base of it - a necrotic wave explodes from the staff, causing instant reanimation of all of the dead lying throughout the ruins of Arkdale.  Ripping the opening even wider, the tear seems to absorb all light sources around - even the brightness of the sun overhead only illuminates the lands similar to dusk.  A gargantuan zombie giant crouches through the portal, followed by all sorts of dark figures.  Approaching is a tall figure with white hair and spectacles - well dressed.  As the figure reaches these evil characters, it drops its visage to reveal tentacles where it's beard should be - congratulating them for making it through successfully.   The party retreats back to the airship and sets off away from this evil alliance; regrouping and planning on how to undue this calamity.  Can the party find a way to overcome this unearthly incursion?