The party has loot! The woman they fought, Highlady Athroxis, has a bunch of great upgrades for the group. Here’s a brief summary:
- Trace swaps out his full plate armor for the breastplate and the belt of physical protection
- Barnaby gets Trace’s hand-me-down belt, the amulet of natural armor, and the ring of protection
- Fobias picks up the adamantine flaming ransuer
- Krask retains his Mark of Wrath tattoo
- Fyn copies a ton of spells into his spellbook
Now that the bookkeeping is out of the way, the party investigates the rest of the room. There aren’t any secret doors or other exits. However, Fyn recognizes the magical signature of the Sihedron rune on the floor.
The rune has two purposes. First, the portal has a Calling function, which acts the same as a planar binding spell. The second function is a bit more practical, as the Teleport function serves as their escape gateway to the real world.
After a quick test, the party returns to the Runeforge. What a relief to not be trapped in the Runeforge anymore!
Fully healed and well-rested, the party returns to the central chamber to determine their next move. There are only three wings remaining in their hunt to find Vraxeris and the other Runeforge components.
Gluttony is the next choice!
The party makes their way to the Ravenous Crypts. Eventually, the walls and floor turn to a solid stone. It’s very tomb-like, and definitely off-putting. Some beautiful decorative inlays and frescoes brighten the Baroque atmosphere, but not by much.
As the party nears the Crypts, Fyn sees the spectral forms of hands and tormented faces seemingly straining to escape the walls, reaching out towards him. He turns his head to keep an eye on all of them, but there’s so many that he doesn’t notice one that grazes his shoulder.
The Great Peacock Spirit
Fyn’s mind sears with pain as memories come flashing back to him. He sees himself, hungrily consuming tomes inside the Therassic Library. And then he’s forging ahead through the dark hallways of underneath the catacombs, eager to read the Thassilonian runes etched into the walls.
Then, his vision goes momentarily black, as he recalls blindly following the voice of the false Peacock in hope of divine favor. But Fyn has seen the Plumage, and he knows that it’s tangible and real. The Emerald Codex almost hums in his possession, as if acknowledging their mutual bond.
And suddenly, those hands and faces reaching through the walls writhe and retract in agony, as a bright light, visible only to Fyn, seems to shine in their eyes. They scream, trying to retreat back into the safety of the stone as a resplendent figure descends from the aether.
A figure, wrapped in brilliant colors, refracting through shades of azure, lavender, and gold. It is the Great Peacock Spirit.
“Fyn. You have overcome many difficulties. Many challenges that would have turned away the hearts of many. Doubt. Deceit. Duplicity. And still you stand, as bright as ever. My most diligent follower.”
The peacock’s feathers furl out, mirroring a thousand eyes, seemingly shifting back and forth in an almost-frantic searching motion. “Your actions have not gone unnoticed. Without your personal diligence, you would have never sought me out. Without your unyielding faith, you never would have continued along this path. And without your intense hunger for the unknown, you never would have gained such power.
There are many secrets left to uncover, Fyn. These walls of the Runeforge are my birthplace, where my followers flocked in great numbers. And we are on the brink of another resurgence. With you as my figurehead, an extension of my very being, we can truly change the world. Karzoug is a direct threat to that future, and to our ideals. You must smite him down. And when you do, everything shall be revealed to you.
Walk in splendor, Master Fyn, and do not falter.”
Mummy Time
Taken aback by the brush with his deity, Fyn is invigorated. Krask goes to open the doors to the crypts and sees six derelict mummies shambling behind the next door. It’s Trace’s time to shine.
The Paladin bursts into the room and channels a blast of positive energy. Unfortunately, a portion of the party is momentarily paralyzed with fear. These rotting corpses are quite the sight, after all.
Fyn supports Trace by hurling a fireball, completely engulfing the room. The damage is significant, but not enough to destroy any of the undead completely.
Trace braces himself against the door, holding off the unrelenting horde. Again and again, the mummies slam into his shield, nearly infecting the paladin with their accursed rot. But the Paladin stands firm.
Eventually, Barnaby comes to his senses and opens the other door. The party rushes to Trace’s aid, supporting him with their abilities. The full might of the group is more than enough to vanquish the mummies back to their dusty graves.
After the battle, a still-shaken Krask investigates the ten skulls lining the circular room. Each holds raw flesh between its teeth, but Krask notices a slight inconsistency in the craftsmanship: these skulls are hiding secret doors!
What lies beyond the hidden doors in the crypts? Has anyone else used the Sihedron to escape the Runeforge? Will Trace FINALLY be more useful than healing on a stick?