Episode 21 - Tough Choices

General Summary

Valarius appeared in a holding cell, naked except for the chakram. Bars lined an entire wall. The rest of the Guardians appeared in a hallway just on the other side of the holding cell. Together they helped Ella pull the bars apart and freed Valarius.

The group heard the giggling of children, occasional sob from a woman, coming from somewhere in the darkness ahead of them. The sudden noise of children laughing drowned out the man and the woman as suddenly a large insect-like monster crawled out from the darkness. The monster was made from the flesh of a small human family, victims of drow fleshcrafting. Its legs were made from their arms and legs, its body made from flesh sealed together magically, and its heads were that of a man and a woman with two children. The head of the woman, mother to the children, was crying while her husband tried to reassure her. The children were mad, either from the transformation or from life within the Vault.

After the family was put out of their misery, four similar orbs were found throughout the room. One of them was suspected of being the source of the wizard Urthadar's immortality. Godric destroyed the one Valarius suspected had been handled the most. A distant roar of pain and anger echoed through the Vault. Godric destroyed a second one, but it exploded and then reformed. It was decided that the damage had been done and the remaining orbs were left untouched.

The Guardians then entered the holding area of the Vault. There were a number of prisoners here - from a minotaur to tiefling, human to drow. Sakali’s father, Gallos Swiftbrook, was found in one of the cells. His left arm and part of his chest appeared to be made of parts of an iron golem. A dwarven prisoner told them that the warden in the area was a three-headed skeleton. Dark elves come in and either took them for torture or for sacrifice.

A Skull Lord came up the elevator with two drow cultists. It attacked, injuring Ardura before being dispatched.

The heroes took the elevator down, passing by floors of warring demons and living darkness before stopping in what looked like a church. Dust covered most of it, but blood was everywhere. Godric traced the symbol of Iomedae on the sacrificial altar. Valarius discovered a secret doorway. To Ella's horror, the doorway led to a great library. A huge section of the floor was covered with runes, appearing to be a large vault door on the floor. On the opposite side of the room was a crystal being bound by four drow in an image very similar to the one where Khaylin had been imprisoned. Urthadar, the old drow wizard, warned them. If he is killed, the beast that was once the body of Khaylin Cirdanas would escape. The crystal contained the soul of Ardura. If she was allowed to escape, she would free the beast and together they would lay waste to entire kingdoms.

Lasdo wanted the crystal, but Urthadar refused to hand it over. When Urthadar saw Valarius with the chakram, he assumed the party was with Lasdo and that they were here to retrieve the crystal.

The Guardians of Golarion faced a dilemma. If they stopped Lasdo, Urthadar would continue to sacrifice people - including Sakali’s father - to keep the powerful creatures imprisoned. Sacrifice hundreds to save millions. If they stopped Urthadar, they would free the prisoners and end the torture. However, Ardura and the beast would escape.

Urthadar - The drow wizard created the beast from the soulless body of Khaylin Cirdanas. However, he now uses the blood from tortured prisoners to keep the creature from escaping.

Gallos Swiftbrook - The halfling had been a mercenary until getting drunk one night and being abducted by the Skull Lord and Urthadar's cultists. Also appears to be Sakali's father.

18744 + 3116 = 21860 XP

Report Date

04 Feb 2019

Primary Location

Vault of Jel'va