Chapter 18: Reunion
As the Savage Seven set out again through the underdark with a destination in mind (the city of chaulssin), they began to be acquainted with the deadly denizens of the underground realm. They battled a group of umber hulks who burst out from the rock, and after banishing one of them discovered that planar magic was being affected by something strange when the hulk returned desiccated and wrapped in shadowy tendrils.
That night, a grizzled old man in brown robes appeared at their camp site and asked to share their shelter. After revealing he was much more ancient that he appeared, Keladrien mentioned Melegaunt and the old man became suspicious. He questioned them, especially Nalzmyr, and said he saw darkness in their hearts. After claiming to be the guardian of the region, he told them to leave but was reassured by Kathra that the group's aims were true. With that, he decided to leave and turned into a massive silver dragon and flew away.
They spent the next day traveling in circles as Nalzmyr lost his way, and lost a day's travel. After an uneventful day, they ran across a deep gorge in their way. As they descended down into it to cross it, a shadow rift opened before them and several shadowy creatures poured out (two shadow mastiffs, two shadow demons and a wraith). After slaying the creatures, the rift closed and Melegaunt manifested once more to reveal that he believes there are planar anomalies occuring and that the shadowfell is bleeding over into the prime material. They made their way up the other side of the gorge through magical means (flight, dimension door and spider climb) and continued on their trek but found themselves lost again.
After another uneventful day, they encountered a strange group of creatures made up of an Orog, a troglodyte, a mind flayer and a kuo toa. These creatures were all unnaturally intelligent, and belonged to the "society of brilliance." The troglodyte spoke eloquently about their organization and their fascination with all knowledge. The group discovered that the society had aided the drow in building the planar traveling tower that took a trip through the nine hells and returned with a hellwasp nest. They promised to visit them at their own tower (which exists outside time and space and moves depending on the day of the week) some day to discuss their journeys.
That afternoon, the group encountered an undead creature that proved to be Nalzmyr's father Zarud accompanied by two shadar-kai. Battled ensued, with Zarud and the shadar kai trying to kill Nalzmyr. After some fighting, Pan delivered the killing blow and decapitated Zarud. The shadar-kai proved to be skilled warriors aided by shadowy teleportation abilities. One of them killed Keladrien with deadly spiked chains that wracked his body with necrotic damage before teleporting away through a shadow rift. Kathra revived the wizard, who returned from the dead for a second time. Nalzmyr burned his father's corpse, and they collected the head of the dead shadar-kai to commune with later. The next morning, Kathra used her magic to ask the dead shadar kai five question. Through their questioning, they learned that the shadar-kai serve the Raven Queen, that Firble turned Zarud into an undead minion, that Firble also serves the Raven Queen and that they came to kill Nalzmyr.
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