Game summary for November 1, 2007; present characters included Ashkor (half-bronze dragon lizardfolk barbarian/battle sorcerer/dragon disciple/fighter), Carn Fodelfex (whisper gnome cleric), Eolas Windmaster (moon elf duskblade), Iapetus Hasur (hu-charad giant rogue/scout/vigilante), Lady Aridarye Phylund Brokengulf (human aristocrat/harbinger/ranger cohort), Lyrin Sinbal (simian incantatrix/ring sage/warmage), Syvarius Strongbow (moon elf archer-ranger/peerless archer), and Taravin Truesilver (human gray guard/paladin of honor/pious templar).
After revealing the information regarding Heskin and his betrayal to Darl Quethos, Lashonna offers to use greater scrying on the traitor. She produces a lock of his hair, which she collected while he was in her service, and casts the spell from a scroll. The scene revealed showed Heskin bound to a ship mast in the midst of a terrible storm. A pair of fiendish humanoids moved through the scene, as did a giant of red and bronze skin and a fiery corona. Suddenly, Darl Quethos himself walked into view of the sensor and began taunting Heskin. When the wicked priest of Myrkul realized a scrying sensor was present, he used the hand of Myrkul to kill Heskin and end the spell effect.
At that moment, the Mercenaries were ready to have Carn cast greater teleport onto the ship and begin a battle with Darl immediately. After some discussion, the team realized that had no provisions for survival if the ship sank after defeating Myrkul’s priest. They set out into Mintarn and purchased a number of magical devices to allow underwater breathing as well as a folding boat. Although none of the group know how to sail, they decided having a vessel they cannot captain is better than being stranded with no ship at all.
The Mercenaries suspected Darl and his cronies of being within the 10-mile-radius storm surrounding Tilagos Island. They waited a few hours to give the high priest and his team time to reach shore, and then they used the cover of Iapetus’ invisibility and a greater teleport from Carn to arrive on the ship deck. Much to their surprise, the ship had run aground on some jagged rocks surrounding the island and ripped in half. Darl and his gang had left already, judging by the tracks, but nearly ten orcs busied themselves nearby collecting timber from other wrecks; the Mercenaries assume they intend to try and make a seaworthy craft.
Still invisible, the Mercenaries entered a huge maze located further up the beach. They soon found an area with smashed marble statues strewn about intermingled with fresh blood. Beneath one statue lay a shattered blue crystal, which the party immediately collected up.
Soon the team found a large pool of murky water guarded by a swaying octopus tree. Carn used numerous fly spells to move the invisible party past the tree. Whilst flying overhead, Aridarye noticed a faint red glow in the midst of the pond thanks to the effects of a lucky break spell. The team took note and decided to investigate later.
Within a few minutes, the Mercenaries located an obsidian disc carved with Druidic script, which read, “Return my eyes to me, and I shall gaze through the storm.” Three eyes carved into the disc surrounded a trio of indentions. Surmising there must be a key of some sort, and following the tracks of Darl’s team that came and went from this area several times, the Mercenaries went back to investigate the red glow.
The octopus tree proved quite mobile and aggressive. It first tried to consume Iapetus, who was able to slither free and plunge into the water. Aridarye was not as fortunate and wound up in the carnivorous plant’s maw. Meanwhile, Eolas, Lyrin and Taravin viciously assaulted the tree to distract it. Ashkor and Carn used dimension door to reach the bottom of the pond and found red crystals, which Ashkor collected. Eventually, the octopus tree was beaten sufficiently to collapse and drop Aridarye. Lyrin blasted the heap with spells but was unable to slay it. No matter what he hit it with, it quickly shambled back upright. Finally, Lyrin and the rest of the Mercenaries fell back, and the tree did not pursue them.
Using Syvarius’ superb tracking skills, the team followed the trail left by Darl’s goons. Where will it lead? Is the key to the portal nearby, and can the Mercenaries catch Darl’s forces before they gain the knowledge hidden in Tilagos Island?
