Session 15 - Face-Off

General Summary

Having returned to the Asmodeus sect of the Dark Cathedral deep beneath Dourstone Mine, the heroes rested and recovered from their attack on the wing of the cathedral devoted to the evil dragon god of destruction, Dahak. Rest did not come easily, and the influence of Asmodeus seeped into the hero's dreams. After waking from those nightmares, the heroes journeyed through the Dark Cathedral. They began their foray into the remaining branch yet to be explored - the elaborate maze of Norgorber known as The Labyrinth. The corridors, carved from smooth, gray stone, led them to intersections that hinted at the meticulous craftsmanship of its builders. The maze was not simply architectural but a battlefield, patrolled by Ebon Shroud Adepts. These former Norgorber cultists, now servants of the Ebon Triad, defended their sanctum by utilizing a network of secret doors to attempt to ambush the party, surrounding them from all angles in a deadly game of cat and mouse. The journey led the heroes to the Outer Sanctum of the temple, an L-shaped passage adorned with marble columns pulsating with wispy green energy and bone-white floor tiles. This ancient site surged with divine energy. The columns posed a hidden threat; an inspection too close triggered a trap that could leave an unwary soul catatonic, their mind filled with whispers of power and dark secrets, resulting in temporary helplessness. Vaz'non discovered this threat when he attempted to detect the magic contained within the pillar. Adding to the sanctum's eerie atmosphere were the wall bulges hiding human eyes, a safeguard against unwelcome magic. Cal's attempt at a Detect Magic spell triggered the eyes. They snapped to life and alerted the temple's inhabitants to the intrusion. Ebon Shroud Adepts, joined by Acolytes of the Reaper, spilled into the hallway and rushed at them from the Inner Sanctum, a chamber imbued with a metallic stench and adorned with green rock walls veined with purple. With the heroes fully engaged in combat, the leader of the Norgorber cult joined the fray. The Faceless One, leader of this sect of the Ebon Triad, displayed powerful Sangromancy magic and spilled blood - his own, his allies, and the blood of the heroes. Even after all his allies had fallen, the Faceless One would not relent. Finally, he, too, was struck down. When he fell, his body dissolved into a puddle of blood. Dav and Cal quickly examined the blood puddle before it could soak into the ground. Upon coming in contact with the blood, they were both struck with a vision of divination. Faces flew by their mind's eyes, but the last image they saw was one they both recognized. The face belonged to their one-time cairn guide and local entertainer, Clover Brightfoot. What did this mean? Was she somehow connected to the Ebon Triad?