The Champion’s Belt
General Summary
Triple T travels to the epic city of Waterdeep to enlist the aid of Estrellion. The Mage-Mason lives in an impressive estate bedecked in paraphernalia from famous battles of the past, such as an immense battle-damaged war standard hanging like an opera curtain over marble stairs lined with various suits of ancient armor. Although eccentric, Estrellion is a gregarious, gracious host. He listens attentively to what the PCs know about Kyuss before requesting more time to put the pieces together in studious research in his library/laboratory. He also agrees to investigate a means to increase the party's access to the Ethereal Estate. In the meantime, he introduces the party to his companion, Celeste, who will set them up with a patron in the forthcoming Champion Games at the Arena of Blood, a halfling named Ekaym Smallcask.
Loris Raknian, the director of the Blood Arena City Arena, is a recent adherent of the teachings of the Ebon Triad. Loris only learned of the cell’s destruction in Kurth and plans to use the upcoming Champion’s Games, a popular and bloody tournament of arms, to personally see to the PCs’ destruction.
Research reveals that the Apostolic Scrolls contain a wicked incantation designed to boost the necromantic powers of a brilliant undead behemoth known as an ulgurstasa, also called an Apostle of Kyuss. Created by Kyuss himself, the ulgurstasas were wicked ancient beings capable of ingesting living creatures and regurgitating their remains as animate skeleton servitors. With the incantation on the scroll, an ulgurstasa could animate a horde of skeletons that retained a measure of intelligence and skill at arms. Crucially, the PCs also learn that the ritual requires the “blood of a champion.”
At the commencement of the games, Loris Raknian himself (well protected by powerful guards) declares all participants in the games to be “champions of Manshaka” for the duration of the festival. During the multiple-day competition, the PCs may not leave the vast Arena understructure, where they have encounters with all sorts of eccentric gladiator teams and individual competitors.
Not to be constrained by rules, Triple T sneaks off to a heavily guarded central structure, directly below the field of play, inhabited by Loris Raknian and his ulgurstasa ally. This area contains a multitude of intriguing chambers, but the central gallery is inhabited by the ulgurstasa, who has been gorging itself on the fallen “champions” in an attempt to create an army of skilled skeletons that it will release upon the thousands of spectators at the culmination of the Champion’s Games. The central sub-field level crawls with skeletons, and more arrive several times an hour. The gruesome climax of the adventure, occurs when the ulgurstasa emerges onto the field of battle to consume the tournament’s ultimate champion, but settles for a former champion, and gobbles up Loris Raknian with relish.
To avoid a prolonged investigation with authorities, the party quickly loots Raknian's trove and departs for Waterdeep with Ekaym. The halfling is soon kidnapped and the party lured to the City of the Dead to negotiate for his release. A doppelganger agent named Argent attempts to extort the party into slaying Ilthane, but Quagim browbeats Argent into releasing Ekaym unharmed.
Report Date
29 Dec 2021
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