Chapter 4: Tomb Thumpin'
The party, Levi, and Collum return to Danrest after defeating the corrupt magistrate Theo Magath and prepare to make their testimony to Fandelian leadership...
Session 12: Day 19-26
1/19/2022 - 1/26/2022 Levi puts the party up in the "Thankful Branch Inn" for the night with instructions that he will return in the morning to escort them to the Fandaniel Courthouse to deliver their testimony to the Grand Magistrate Omer Halpin, the head of the Kingdom's high courts. Upon their arrival the next day, the court clerk informs them that Prince Matthias Piavir - heir to the Kingdom's throne who has recently returned from Lumgard after completing his 20 year training to become a Holy See paladin - and princess Yvet Piavir - who is auditing the hearing for scholarly purposes - will be attending the testimony and are escorted into the hearing chambers. Prince Matthias leads the hearing and begins making inquires into the party's adventures from the last couple of weeks. The group remain truthful of their activities and actions, which garners respect from the prince, and so the Prince allows the party to keep then items and diamonds they looted from the prison as due compensation. The party then offers up the ledger they found with the message “Hithero Land,” but this continues to be nonsense. Princess Yvet suggests it might say “Hi There Roland,” and the syndicate is trying to communicate with someone of that name. The party agrees this is the most likely translation. Prince Matthias concludes the hearing by expressing his sincere apologies to the group on behalf of the kingdom and laments the horrendous oversight of allowing Theo to operate unchecked and assures them now that he has returned to the kingdom things will be much different. The Prince and Grand Magistrate pardon the party and extend an offer of partnership with the kingdom for any ongoing investigations into the Vellen Crime Syndicate. Prior to the hearing with the group, Levi and Collum gave their own testimonies where Collum was pardoned and promoted to Theo’s old position of Danrest’s Magistrate and Levi was made the new Constable of Brandland Parish. The group then enjoys a peaceful week of rest and training, during which Zocra encounters an old woman who offers him a mysterious drink which he accepts. Zocra then spends the next couple of days hallucinating deeply and becomes highly knowledgeable on the positions of the stars and navigation. Jacob makes a visit to Connie Liver, who was recaptured, to find out more on how he survive their original encounter. The psychopath offers little explanation other than it was Theo who found him and that some "gracious deity" returned him to life so that Connie can "continue his artistry" according to his perspective. The group then meets with Epon Dorash to deliver him Theo's head, which he freezes with his Cold Dragon Breath and shatters. Thanking the party, he rewards them with 5 horses - which were suggested to him by Izumi - and tells them to reach out when the learn more on the Syndicate. Later in the week, Juan runs into Mundrin Brighthorn and his party who is happy to see he is safe after hearing about what happened with Theo. Mundrin invites Juan to his modest Danrest home - a worn shack in Old Town with only a couple pieces of furniture and a large, potted plant - to share a very strong drink in celebration and that he has something important to tell the young Minotaur. Mundrin reveals he has not been entirely honest and that while his mother was from Brighthorn Tribe, his father was Tyrus Clovehoof - the last Speaker of Flower and former Chieftain of the United Minotaur Tribes - which explains why Mundrin is such a powerful Druid. Mundrin has been hiding this fact from the world due to the pressure and expectations thrust upon him when his father died. It is then that Mundrin becomes sullen and remorseful as he brings to confess to Juan that it was him who has been giving the Syndicate information on Minotaur burial sites for their Hero Dust market in exchange for resources. Apparently he had also struck a deal with the Syndicate to retrieve an amulet buried with his father in a tomb reported to be very dangerous. Mundrin begs Juan to forgive him for his past and humbly asks him if he will retrieve the amulet from the tomb, as he believe he can use its power at a location with a high concentration of Tangle energy to bring "prosperity and justice" to the Minotaur. Juan - though disappointed with Mundrin's betrayal of their ancestors - agrees to bring him the artifact and so the party begin to prepare for their journey to the Minotaur tombs deep in the caverns below Flormonta Mountain...Session 13: Day 26-29
1/26/2022 - 1/29/2022 The party departs Danrest for the tomb beneath Flormonta Mountain, making calls to Mundrin and Epon along the way. They ask Mundrin if he can provide the Minotaur grave locations he's given to the Syndicate with the intention of intercepting pillaging Syndicate members, to which he complies under the condition that they come to his aid should there be any blowback. They pass along this information to Epon, who thanks them and says Night Watch will investigate. Jacob makes a call to Levi and provides the details of his conversation with Connie, who asks for Jacob's opinion on if they should execute or spare Connie. Without hesitation Jacob votes in favor of execution. Taking a brief stop through Skiple, the party visits Lesbelle Flintbreaker at "The Skipping Pole" brothel. The Madam dwarf greets them warmly, saying Dalyla Hope has been treating her much more fairly since they helped the Marquess. Jacob asks to see Shae Balwenys but Lesbelle mentions Shae's sister Leena told her that Fandaniel is becoming "far too dangerous as of late" and recommended Shae returned home to Reavia. Unable to contact Shae, Jacob drinks himself to sleep instead. On the fourth day they reach the entrance to the Minotaur tomb and proceed into it's entrance chamber where they are ambushed by reanimated Human skeletons - who were perhaps unfortunate looters. During the battle, Juan's warhammer breaks but then coincidentally finds another on a pedestal. As he picks up the hammer, the head bursts into flames, and Juan identifies this as a weapon used by the Gorefire Tribe. Now proceeding further into the tomb, the party enters a room with several caskets - on with an engraving in Minotaur script that reads:Here Lies Minerva Brighthorn. Loyal Mate of Tyrus and Protector of the Lands.When Zocra goes to open one of the other graves in the room, the spirit of Minerva Brighthorn materializes above her tomb. She questions the party to their intentions and Juan replies that they seek Tyrus's amulet so that Mundrin can use it to restore fertility to The Great Plains. She has closed off the greater chambers of the tomb since a clan of Hill Dwarves unearthed a "malevolent presence" some time ago, however this also closed off her connection to Tyrus's spirt and the other ancestors buried within. Minerva is concerned that Mundrin - her son - has lost his way, but if the amulet will help redeem him then she will open the path forward. Minerva requests the party purge the tomb of this taint, offering up her Brighthorn Tribe wand to assist them, and wishing them success in redeeming her son. After a minor setback with oozes and wisps in the next chamber, a Dwarf's tattered journal is found among the rubble. The account makes reference to some "entity from the darkness" before descending into complete gibberish - it is clear something has obliterated the dwarves' minds. Pressing on, the party reaches a large, flooded cavern. Glowing green crystals dimly light the floors and walls, faintly revealing movement in the shadows across the chasm...
Session 14: Day 29
1/29/2022 As Juan and Jacob descend into the waters below the broken bridge at the cavern's entrance, the figures in the shadows patiently observe their movements. Suddenly Zocra unleashes an arrow at one of the figures, seeing with his Darkvision that they are preparing to attack. The figures roar, revealing themselves to be Duergar - dwarves whose minds have been warped - and grow twice their size to rain enlarged javelins down on the party. Olati is ambushed by a Grick blending into the stone walls, but makes quick work of it before skillfully diving into the waters below. One of the Duergars deals a critical blow to Jacob, but he teleports to safety while leaving behind an Illusion card to conjure an Ogre and distract his attacker. The party emerges victorious and inspect the Duergar corpses, finding that they are adorned with metal similar to Udeac Duskback's iron fist and a strange slithering noise can be heard coming from the inside of their skulls. Quinby finds a waterlogged chest containing a crossbow used by the Lunastirk Minotaur Tribe. The cavern diverges into three paths: to the west is a hallway extending into darkness, to the north a large door with a golden minotaur head above it, and to the east with another rickety bridge over a chasm. The party chooses to check the eastern pass, carefully and cleverly crossing to the other side which lead into a chamber containing the tomb of Gorey Bloodmane. Juan opens the tomb causing his ancestor to materialize, however he quickly is overtaken by madness and attacks. Zocra delivers a blow that expels the dark force corrupting his mind, Gorey thanks them and urges Juan to take up his Bloodmane Tribe shield. The Bloodmane ancestor reveals that the door to the north leads to Tyrus's tomb, and that the door can only be opened if "6 individual hands holding one of the 6 Minotaur artifacts touch the door simultaneously." He then returns to his rest. Zocra notices that one of the walls in the room looks weak and the party attempt to break it down with brute force with no success. Jacob flaunts his sophisticated magical prowess by blasting it with a fire bolt, creating a hole large enough for Quinby to squeeze through. On the other side he finds a chest containing a Clovehoof Blade of Grass - a sword used by the Clovehoof Tribe druids - and a wooden door. Only one Minotaur Tribe artifact remains to open the northern chamber, or perhaps the wooden door will allow Quinby to bypass it entirely. However, it is unclear what awaits him on the other side and the dark presence in the west still lingers...Session 15: Day 29
1/29/2022 The party talk Quinby out of proceeding into the next room alone and instead go to investigate the western cavern. There they find another group of crazed dwarves - among them a dwarven wizard. They take down the dwarves one by one until only the wizard remains. When Juan delivers the killing blow, a brain-like creature with spikes for legs bursts from the dwarf's head. The monstrosity attempts to flee, but is squashed before it can retreat. Perhaps this creature is the cause of the dwarves' madness, or perhaps it is simply a minion to an even greater evil deeper within the tomb. With all 6 of the Minotaur weapons now in the party's possession, the grand doors to the north should open to them...Session 16: Day 29-30
1/29/2022 - 1/30/2022 The party approaches the northern doors and after one failed attempt they gain entry into the final chamber, which is filled with crystals growing brightly with Tangle energy. A circle of columns surround the largest crystal that shines brighter as they approach, and when they touch it teleports them into large mausoleum with a platform in its center connected by three bridges. The shrine on the center rise has a casket and a Minotaur skull with a strange, fleshy-like mass pulsating within. As Juan reaches to open the casket, bones swirl to create undead Minotaur at the end of the three bridges. As the rest of the party charge the skeletons, Jacob attacks the pulsating mass to reveal a Mind Wright that is attempting to syphon the physic energy from Tyrus Clovehoof. Once revealed, the creature summons more brain-spiders and levitates above the chasm surrounding the shrine. Zocra eludes his skeletal pursuer with a Fog Cloud before conjuring entangling vines to retrain the floating Mind Wright, who resists by dominating the dark elf to release him and free. However, while occupied with in his resistance, Jacob is able to unleash a bolt of holy fury leaving an opening for Quinby to finish him off. The monstrosity falls into the darkness below, vanquished, and the skeletons crumble in his demise. ancestral Clovehoof Amulet of Growth with them. He also instructs the party that they can use the same crystal they used to teleport into his shrine to return, or to Flormonta Mountain's summit if they wish. As the party make their leave, the former Speaker suddenly notices a "familiar" presence from Zocra, commenting that there is "something inherently powerful that lingers deep within his heritage." The group choose to explore the mountain top and are transported into a moon-lit cavern with a pool or healing water. Exiting the cavern they follow a short path to the pinnacle which is home to a withered elder tree serving as a catalyst and fount of Tangle energy. They make camp under the tree, taking in the grand view of Danrest and Skiple from the vantage of the mountain's peak, and finally rest after their triumph over the evils that plagued Tyrus's tomb...Session 17: Day 30-33
1/30/2022 - 2/2/2022 The party awake the next morning and make calls to Mundrin, Levi, and Epon. Mundrin is overjoyed that Juan and his companions were able to recover the amulet and promises a private celebration for the two Mintour followed by an all-expense-paid party with the rest of the group. Jacob follows up with Epon who has completed his investigation into the burial sites Mundrin had given to the Syndicate. The Dragonborn reports that all have them have already been looted some time ago, however he assures Jacob that it is possible Mundrin did not revealed all burial sites as Epon has encountered untainted sites during his travels before. When asked about Izumi, Epon only says that she is on a secret mission in Danrest and can not be disturbed at this time. Levi does not answer his Sending Stone, and so the party goes to leave the tomb to return to the capitol. Suddenly a familiar shrill voice greets them from the mountain side above the tomb’s entrance - the Syndicate goblin jesters Vort and Zort have come to claim the Clovehoof Amulet. Zort propositions the party, stating he would prefer not to resort to violence this time and would prefer a trade for the amulet and asks Jacob is there's anything he would want in return. Jacob asks what the Syndicate wants with someone named "Roland." Zort claims he has no knowledge of any Roland the Syndicate would be interested in - however Jacob can tell the goblin is lying to some degree. During the back and forth, Vort lets slip that he and Zort are both demons who serve a devil master. Jacob tries to pry and get the name of the devil they serve but is unsuccessful because, according to Vort, "the rules don't allow us to reveal their name." Tired of the jester's nonsense, the party attacks. The jesters engage in their normal shenanigans while summoning imps and a hell hound to their aid. Quinby unleashes a deadly volley against Vort, piercing the clown's neck and causing him to spray an unreasonable amount of blood all over Juan who is charging up the mountainside. Jacob fires off a spell at the wounded Vort - causing him to expand like a balloon and explode with the same "pop" sound as before - further drenching Juan in blood. Zort tried one last time to parlay, claiming they wanted the amulet so the Syndicate will have leverage over Mundrin supplying them with burial site locations indefinitely - but it falls on deaf ears. Completed stained in red, Juan gores Zort with his horns, shoving him off the rock ledge. The loud-mouth Syndicate demon-goblin jester delivers a double middle finger has he plunges to the ground and is swallowed up by a shadowy portal before hitting bottom. Free of the annoyances, the party can now deliver the amulet to Mundrin...Continuing from Chapter 3: Prose and Cons
Parent Plot
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