Session 28 Recap

Having locked virtually all the portals they could find in Elsir Vale, the adventurers took a well deserved rest. They spent two months in Overlook. Some income started trickling in from the diamond mines. This paid for furniture and a few employees to maintain the mansion. They were invited to several dinners and social events held by local nobles and wealthy merchants. The events were modest in light of the recent battle and strapped economy. The movers and shakers were obviously trying to publicly align themselves with the heroes.

The Lost Ones seemed to be cleaning house. Several leaders associated with General Zithiruun turned up dead. Then other people started dying too; Kalad the paladin, captain Aerun of the city guard and several adventurers. The council of elders at first asked the adventurers what they knew about these events. Later the council requested the group’s assistance. Megan Swiftblade, leader of the Freeriders adventuring group, has sent word to the council. Her group was investigating Zithiruun’s contacts in Overlook, which seemed to have led to multiple assassination attempts. She believes the recent murders are related to Zithiruun, even though he’s dead. She has asked for protection in exchange for information. The council has again turned to “The Heroes of Overlook.”

Megan Swiftblade fled home after the last failed assassination attempt. She hoped the troubles of Overlook wouldn’t reach that far. The heroes teleported to Brindol and made a short trip to Talar nearby. Two days passed with no contact. The adventurers waited in the Green Dragon Inn patiently.

That evening they were relaxing in the common room, when the whole building began to tremble. It reached earthquake level, and the patrons began to panic. Tables were overturned and people knocked down in the stampede to the door. The floor, ceiling and walls began to buckle and twist. Some of the heroes made their way to the door, pulling patrons out with them. Others stayed behind to coerce the scared, trampled and unconscious out. The floor collapsed dropping Toradin and others into the cellar. He managed to pull everyone out with assistance, and the building was cleared. Just in time too. The building caught fire, fell over & sank into… the cellar.

This wasn’t an isolated problem. The entire town was subject to the earthquake, and more. Lava was flowing down from the lone hill just east of town. Buildings were catching fire and people were panicked. Monsters were emerging from the lava to kill or burn anything in their path. The adventurers stepped up & handled them. Most of the monsters were slain. Two fled. The town was almost completely ruined. And this lava, was not of this world. It was made of elemental fire and acid.

Atop the hill was a stone mage tower. As the party watched, it sank into the hill, almost 40 feet of tower now submerged. (It didn’t burn down & fall over. It just sank.) The lava was flowing from a gapping hole in the side of the hill. They made their way around the lava to the tower. Two figures were spotted on the roof; an elderly man with a broken leg and a middle aged man hauling him out onto the roof.

The injured man was Falrinth the Seer, owner of said tower. The other was his “manservant,” Taylor. Gnolls had invaded his tower from the basement. They made off with his godchild, Megan Swiftblade, and injured him. Taylor helped him to the roof. “Please save Megan. She is the only family I have left.”

So, into the tower the adventurers went. It was not full of lava. Halfway down, they passed through the research room. Falrinth had been experimenting on Slaad, which broke free during the earthquake. That experiment was terminated. In the basement, they found an old tunnel. It had been bricked up for many years, but was now open again. The glow of lava was visible, so the party continued on.

A large cavern was found under the tower. A huge pool of the lava was still pouring out the side of the hill. Near the pool was a portal, and a gnoll shaman activating it. The gnolls & portal weren’t the interesting part though. Jimmy the bounty hunter was with them, and he had Megan tied up & gagged. Having fought gnolls before, the heroes were quick to pick their targets and eliminate them. Jimmy put up a fight at first, but eventually surrendered (again).

Jimmy was captured. Megan was freed. And a long discussion ensued about what was happening. It seems Sarshan wants loose ends tied up. Overlook had a lot of loose ends, including Megan Swiftblade. Jimmy worked for Sarshan, but his loyalty to that organization was… tenuous. He was more than happy to share info in exchange for his life. Peleus was even so generous as to let Jimmy keep most of his gear.

This portal leads to a swamp outside the vale. It is a staging point for several planned “lava” attacks. Any loose end that couldn’t be handled by normal means, would be visited by lava. But beware, the staging area is guarded by a green dragon and one of Sarshan’s Shadar-kai witches.