Session 18
General Summary
Lareth might have been defeated but bloodcrazed trolls didn�t seem to care. Their fearsome
claws continued to rend all within reach. Meanwhile, cultists peppered the area with blasts of
necrotic energy, though edging away from the temple all the while, with one eye on escape. The
trolls were extremely tough to kill but eventually one succumbed to its wounds. As it did so, it
exploded violently. Somehow none of the gladiators were touched while its kin took the full
effects of the blast, making it somewhat easier to despatch. With both trolls dead, the remaining
cultists took the opportunity to flee and were allowed to do so.
All around the city were the sounds of combat and death, with various buildings on fire. News of
Lareth�s demise had not yet reached the cultists so they continued their orgy of destruction. The
city watch and legionnaires were defending desperately, they might have been better organised
had their commander not suffered an untimely death 6 weeks or so earlier.
Sister Valerius was freed from her bonds. She was very grateful. When the gladiators expressed
their intent to return inside the temple she declared they were mad. She then made the bizarre
announcement that she was heading for Erelhei-Cinlu and maybe they�d meet again. With that,
her appearance suddenly changed to that of a drow priestess of Lolth, she was enveloped by a
cloud of darkness and she vanished down a grate into the sewers. It seemed the drow had not only
secretly supported the temple of Erathis, they had infiltrated it.
There was no time to speculate on this turn of events. Inside the temple, cultists continued to run
amok. There wasn�t sufficient time, energy nor will to slay every cultist but perhaps some might
be in the way of more personal goals � such as the retrieval of their Rodinian Citizenship papers.
Reaching the offices, a huge havoc goristro demon was doing its best to destroy the documents
and files. Sister Litorius and some acolytes huddled in a corner, terrified of the abyssal
monstrosity. Nex Pervenio were made of sterner stuff and soon had its attention. It launched a
vicious assault with a complete disregard for its own safety. It was soon surrounded and
obliterated. Sister Litorius was thankful for the rescue and pointed out where the Rodinian
Citizenship papers were stored. These were swiftly bundled up and stashed in a safe pocket. No
time for pleasantries, more work to be done.
Next was the library. Cultists were hard at work in a destructive fashion, they�d clearly been
given specific orders to do so. Sister Aponius and some acolytes tried ineffectually to stop them.
Enter the gladiators, bursting out of the doorway. One cultist went down in a hail of arrows while
the others ducked behind shelves and desks trying to take potshots while continuing to trash the
books and tomes. The outcome was never in question, the cultists butchered in no time. Nex
Pervenio gathered up some of the more valuable scrolls and parchments, which included
Callindrill�s research, and took it away for �safe keeping� though planning to sell it �
weapons and armour don�t grow on trees.
Finally there was the infirmary. This was where Riya had spent her formative years. It looked like
Sister Florens and some acolytes could do with rescuing from yet more cultists, accompanied by
fiery elementals. These too seemed to have been specifically instructed to inflict as much damage
as possible, the cult really wanting to harm the temple of Erathis. Argus and Shinobi charged in to
the nearest elemental. Between everyone�s combined attacks the elemental was dead before it
could move. However, upon death it erupted lava all over Argus and Shinobi, petrifying them
within a layer of rock, burning them on the inside. This gave opportunity for the other elementals
to charge in. Meanwhile cultists were sending magical blasts from afar. Argus and Shinobi broke
free of their lava prisons. With great care, the other fire elementals were separated and destroyed
one by one to minimise the lava eruptions when they died. That left the cultists vulnerable and
they died very swiftly. Nex Pervenio added various rare potions and alchemical reagents to their
bags �just in case� and were off.
It seemed the rest of the temple, city and cultists could fend for themselves with chaos and carnage
aplenty. The Deck of Many Things was overjoyed with all it had witnessed but now it was time to
move on. In thanks to Dash, he was allowed to draw three cards and choose one. This could mean
riches beyond his wildest dreams or dire consequences but he knew no fear. He was presented
with a choice of The Idiot, The Rogue and The Throne. The latter of the three seemed most
appealing. He was suddenly inclined to inspect the documents retrieved from the temple offices.
In his haste, aswell as the Citizenship papers, he�d grabbed other material too. Closer inspection
revealed these to be the title deeds to a keep! No doubt someone (or something) would be
trespassing but surely Nex Pervenio could turf them out.
With Londinium seeming like an increasingly dangerous and unpleasant place, it was time to
depart. Shinobi needed to report to the Scorpion Clan in Honshu, travelling alone. Mika also
needed to head off alone, he had business with the Archdruid. Dash expressed an urge to visit his
tribal homelands. Argus, Valun and Riya were at somewhat of a loose end. Was this the end of
Nex Pervenio, as the team split to go their separate ways? Or was it merely an interlude, a
gathering of strength, an earning of wisdom, with the call of the Underdark echoing in their dreams�.
Report Date
11 Apr 2024
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