Season 4: Island of Forgotten Secrets
Ch.1 Rufus Sibelius Sinar
The party travelled to Endersley. They attended a show by The Magnificent Sven.
They discovered a magically hidden tower surrounded by a magic garden. They met a dwarf D'rick who was being attacked by giant bees.
The party passed through a giant cactus Grove and are ambushed by giant Spiders.
Inside the tower they met:
Eihpos: human rogue
A giant cylinder fell from the sky and townsfolk gathered round it. A large metal ball emerged.
"Venrika," said Sinar, "when I say run, run."
Panels opened to reveal a single large eye and a Fang filled mouth. Tentacles emerged from the top, each ending in an eye ball. Energy rays shot from its eyes, killing or petrifying terrified townspeople.
"RUN!"
Ep.2 Flight to the Horizons Edge
The party fled to the safety of the tower. Sinar rallied a small group of dwarves who prepared to face the creature. On Sinar's recommendation, the party headed for the hills and made the trek back to Port Blood.
They found The Horizon's Reach and Jenny Haddock invited then to dine at the captain's table. It was an ambush by Aethelgard elite forces!
Jenny Haddock: I had no choice. They arrived right before you did. I'm sorry.
The Aethelgard captain interrogated them about what they found beneath the Temple. Lord Lucius wants the mecha men as a weapon against Maudilus. He let the party go in exchange for the return of one if the control rods and the party continued on to Mokomoko on board the Horizons Edge.
Ep.3 The Last Resort
The Horizon's Reach stopped at Bahía Esmeralda, an exotic trading post perched on the edge of civilization.
On arrival, Jenny noted a white-hulled sail ship, The Palamino, the fastest ship on the seas.
The only tavern was Hickmans Last Resort. The party met Chuckleric who was there with Elara ironheart, Elowen the tracker, Aldric the Silent, and Grimwald the Gaunt who were all there with a copy of the map.
The party named themselves "The Unchained". They noticed Aldric and Grimwald leaving the general store with a pick and a couple of shovels so the Unchained decided to get some too. Venrika bought an amulet of luck. Meanwhile Eihp stealthily followed Aldric and Grimwald. She saw them meet Elowen on The Palamino who showed them a couple of big wine bottles which she stashed on her person before heading off along the docks. Eihp stayed spying but was noticed, almost supernaturally, by Elara. Eihp fled back to the rest her team.
A crew member called them to say that the fog was lifting and to get back to the ship. They were the last to hop on board as The Horizon's Reach set off. The Palamino raced them to the high seas. Captain Jenny Haddock offered the option of taking the short route through Triton's Teeth when there was a cry from below decks. Something was destroying the precious food supplies!
The food was covered in green slime. Drongforth fire-bolted the slime but set fire to the woodwork. Venrika tried putting it out but ended up setting fire to her cloak. Grok had more luck but got over excited and stomped on food and cracked the wooden wall. Drongforth meanwhile had filled a pot with seawater and extinguished the fire.
With little in the way of provisions on board, taking the short route seemed even more important.
Ep. 4 Triton's Teeth
As the Horizon's Reach entered the region known as Triton's teeth, everyone came on deck to see rocky outcroppings that tower over the ship.
Flocks of birds circled high above. The Unchained spotted more emerging from small caves high up in the walls of the outcroppings. As they got a better view, Drongforth recognised them as STIRGES, foul blood sucking parasites.
The stirges attacked on mass and Unchained work to repel them. The first wave was quickly defeated but not before one of them manages to spike Drongforth. The second wave included two giant stirges which Zalaskar dubbed Mommy and Daddy Stirge.
Ep.5 On the Beach
The ship entered a dense fog. When it emerged on the other side, the island became visible.
The party went ashore in a longboat and were greeted by an white-haired man sitting on a ramshackle jetty.
"Welcome to the Island. Make yourself at home for you shall never leave!"
The Unchained investigated a couple of drift-wood huts on the beach when they heard a woman singing as she came out of the water holding a spear and a brace of fish. The inhabitants introduced themselves as George and Carrie Copperpot.
Garret and Grok collected firewood in the jungle and spotted a pair of eyes watching them. the creature was well camouflaged and fled into the jungle when they noticed it.
Ep. 6 Rumble in the Jungle
The party ventured into the jungle. Two creatures were watching in the foliage and when spotted threw spears, hitting Grok.
They came across a clearing with a ruin on a hill in the centre. They heard the sound of drums behind them and quickly investigated the ruins. They were surprise attacked by lizard folk who were hiding in the bushes.
Eep was mortally wounded and only after Drongforth blasted one with a firebolt, did the other lizard man flee allowing Venrika to heal Eep with a healing potion. As the sound of drums intensified, the party fled in the direction of the temple.
Ep. 7 The Sound of Drums
The scribe Arturus wrote:
After driving away the opponents from the recent skirmish, the team had little time to analyze the earlier events as the sound of drums in the background grew louder. It was unanimously decided that this did not bode well, and they needed to find the temple as quickly as possible before whatever was approaching could reach them.
In his haste to break through the jungle thickets, Grok, while cutting a path, nearly fell off a hidden cliff just beyond the next thicket. Perhaps it was only Grok's size that saved him from the absent-mindedness of Drongforth, who ran into him shortly after he regained his balance after his initial surprise.
Under time pressure, the team chose a faster but more exposed route to their destination. This was a good decision, and when they arrived, a pyramid loomed before them, composed of giant cubes forming enormous steps that the surrounding jungle had already begun to reclaim. Based on the scroll they were given by Maudilus, this was not their goal.
For a moment, Zalaskar's usual sense of direction failed him, but Grok surprised everyone by correctly leading to the west, helping to discover a relatively well-preserved path to nearby ruins emerging into the ground and creating the narrow, long passage that wound through the jungle and under its trees.
At first glance, there seemed to be no further clues in sight. However, the innate curiosity of our party led them to discover several markings beneath the roots and lichens on a wall made of large slabs, including the sign of a spider, which they were expecting! This slab turns out to be a hidden gate, partially buried in the earth. To their surprise, another group of lizard people emerged.
Venrika took charge of the excavation effort while the rest of the team provided cover. They dealt swiftly with the opponents, but their victory was short-lived. The attackers turned out to be only scouts. Suddenly, a colossal lizard came crashing toward their position like a massive battle machine. Without wasting time, the team slipped behind the large slab they managed to pry open just enough to squeeze through.
Using his dark vision, Garet quickly assessed whether the corridor ahead could accommodate them and provide shelter. Once he confirmed it, he jumped through first. When everyone had entered, they realized there was no way to secure the open slab gate behind them. More warlike lizards were already gathering outside. Garet tried to hold the gate shut from the inside while lizard warriors tugged on the edge when, after a while, Zalaskar asked Garet to release the grip a little and allow them to open the gate slightly. The reptiles thought they had succeeded in forcing the gate open. However, Zalaskar was already waiting to shoot with his magic at the first one who dared to stick his head in. What must have been his surprise!
Garet tried to block and hold the gate closed with the rope, but it slipped shortly after, leaving it completely unsecured...
Ep. 8 Hold The Door!
Grok scrambled to get hold of the door while Drongforth and Graret worked to secure it with rope. Meanwhile Eep explored their environment. They were in a tunnel that ended in a metal door. Three spears came out of the side of the wall, one with an impailed skull on its pointed end.
As Eep moved cautiously down the corridor, she heard a CLICK and a noxious gas filled the air. Eep and Zalaskar were overcome by the fumes but Venrikka's dwarven Constitution got her through.
When Eep recovered consciousness, she set to work on the locked metal door. This led to a room with murals on the walls and In the center of the chamber yawned a vast, circular pit, its depths swallowed by shadow. A secret door on the far side led to a staircase and then another room.
Three pairs of eye holes allowed the party to see a lizardman throne room.
The king was flanked by a witchdoctor and warriors. A group of halflings identified as from the kingdom of the Kender gave a crystal as tribute. Prince Thun from Ardentia said he could provide nothing this year but his loyalty since they had raided his kingdom.
"Prince Thun, we prize nothing more highly. Fall on your sword."
"May this be an example to all." He drew his sword. "Death to Zarn!" then prince Thun tried to strike the king but was frozen magically by the witchdoctor.
Zarn took the sword and killed Thun.
Prisoners were brought in. Aldric the Silent and Chuckleric. The king said they would be sacrificed to appease Mokomoko.
The prisoners were led out and the chamber emptied.
When all was quiet, out of the darkness slinked Elowen the Tracker. And then a girl. Alara. As she passed the eyeholes where the party were watching, she looked right at them, put her finger to her lips and then followed Elowen out of the chamber.
Ep.9 If Venrika Doesn't Wake Up Screaming, She Won't Wake Up At All...
The party rested in an underground chamber. Venrika suffered a nightmare, where creepy dolls attacked her and floor hands grabbed her. Drongforth woke her after she suffered a bout of magic incontinence, wild magic swirling around her.
They fled from pursuing lizardmen down to a lower level, crossing a collapsing corridor. They found themselves in a room with a partly collapsed floor and the only escape route on the far side...
Ep. 10 Picking up a Straggler
The left side if the room had a sturdy metal gate, locked. On the far side if the room was another exit and in the room beyond, the glint of a metal key hanging by a chain could be seen. Was that a tall figure holding it? A wooden walkway with rickety scaffolding lead to the key and Eep volunteered to retrieve it.
Lizardmen tried forcing the door open but Grok and Garet held firm. As Eep made her way across the walkway, it started to collapse. She dashed the remaining distance, using parkour skills to dive through to the next room. She saw a large statue, the key hanging from its hand.
She grabbed the key and threw it to the team.
"Hello loser"
This was Elowen the Tracker's greeting as she jumped down from the top of the statue her foot aimed at Eep's head. But Eep's reflexes were too good and she rolled back and shot Elowen with an arrow. After a brief skirmish, Elowen fled, disappearing up a rope to a hole in the ceiling.
Meanwhile the rest of the team scrambled through the gate, beating a fighting retreat. They made their way through a marble archway, down a grand staircase. Venrika triggered a trap and was hit by falling rocks. She was battered but alive and they found that a previous Explorer had been less fortunate. His dedicated corpse carried a book: the journal of Chester Copperpot.
Eep was met by a bald man who identified himself as Henrick. He led her through a maze of twisty little passages, all alike to "pick up a straggler".
They came upon a halfling cleric who called himself Brandon. Henrick made them to step into a water chute...
The rest of the party and come across a grand, double door and Venrika pushed it open with a flourish...
Ep. 11 Still Sharp
The large doors led to a large chamber, its vaulted ceiling held up by 4 pairs of mighty pillars. At the far end of the room was an altar where a fallen warrior lay, his sword stuck into the chest of a statue of a demonic winged creature, his dead hand still grasping the hilt of the sword. Grok examined the walls of the chamber and found more of the statues decorating the walls.
Meanwhile, Eep and Brandor followed Henrik down a water-chute and then got dumped out into a large natural cavern with a wide river flowing down it. They came ashore and Henrik took them through a stone archway. They came to a locked door. He explained that their friends were on the other side but he was unable to follow them into that room.
Drongforth started his ritual to detect magic when one of the statues turned out to be alive and attacked Grok. A second appeared and made battle with Venrika and Garett. A third tried to score a surprise attack on Drongforth when out of a side door appeared Eep and Brandor. Despite being struck by one of Eep's arrows and blasted by divine radiance by Brandor, the creature still scored a near fatal blow on Drongforth.
The creatures proved hardy foes. Eventually the last one was hit by a radiant blast from Brandor, its head exploding into dust.
Grok picked up the sword and examined its edge, still sharp after all these years. The party exited through the side door, Eep knocking four times, the signal to Henrick to open the door.
Ep.12 Head of the River
Henrick took the party down a side tunnel and indicated that some metal gates lay open along the side of the tunnel. "The Shrike has escaped."
The party followed Henricks recommendation to take an alternative route via the river. He showed them where they could collect two river boats, one a 5 man boat, one a 3 man.
They carried the two boats back to the river. They rowed at a steady pace until the river split. Henrick told him that one route was usual, but a narrow path, perhaps challenging for the larger boat. The other route was a wider channel but Henrick admitted that he hadn't been that way in a while.
They opted for the wider route.
They soon noticed a boat following them. They could make out the distinctive outline of Aldric the Silent and Elowen. They were followed by The Dark Blade!
Zalaskar made a precise shot that knocked Elowen's paddle out of her hand.
Two large tentacles emerged from the water and the party attacked them. Ahead of the boat emerged a giant monstrous head with a tooth-lined maw. It bit down at Grok at the front of the boat. Grok swung a mighty blow into the back of its mouth. His axe became stuck and in fury he yanked it free, at the same time ripping out flesh and the creature sank beneath the water.
The party continued along the river, coming to the head of a great waterfall. They landed on a wide sandy, underground beach where an ominous doorway decorated with skulls lead into the rocky wall of the cave.
Ep. 13 Doorway of the Dead
While the party rested on the beach, the Dark Blade landed and set up camp at the far end of the beach.
As they rested, an irresistible drousiness overtook them. Drongforth, Venrika, Zalaskar and Brandor found themselves in a dreamscape that looked like Fear Port. But all four of them were children.
A voice called out. "The time is almost here, children. The clock is ticking. Almost time for the big giveaway. And don't forget your masks."
They noticed they each had a mask tucked into their belts. Several children ran past wearing masks and went into a creepy house. The party put on theirs and followed them.
Inside they saw the children in a library with a large ornately illuminated book open and on display. The children suddenly grabbed their heads and collapsed. The party looked on in horror as the insects and snakes crawled out of the eye holes of the masks.
The party managed to rip theirs off in time. But now from down a dark corridor came a Gaunt figure with cruel clawed hands.
The party tried in vain to stop her but their best spells and attacks were met with razor sharp claws. It was Zalascar who first realised that since this was clearly a dream why should be limited by the spells he had actually mastered. Why not try something more adventurous. He successfully fired a disintegration ray at the nightmarish figure but somehow she managed to evade it.
Venrika meanwhile had stolen the book and made a run for it.
"Leave that fucking book!" Two clawed hands shot towards Venrika.
Zalascar's next gambit was a polymorph spell. This time the gaunt figure was transformed into a chicken. The party took the opportunity to flee. They seemed safe but then, looming over the rooftops came a giant chicken, at least 20 feet across, and with razor sharp, metallic claws.
And at that moment they yanked from the dream, woken by Alara with a bucket of water.
Henrick led them in through the door of the dead. They found themselves on a chamber lined with tombs. Two doors were at the far end, one punctuated by strange underground growths, the other by bones and skulls. Henrick informed them that he had to go back to get the Shrike back in its cage but they could continue on and he'd meet them on the other side.
The question of the two competing teams was resolved with a coin toss with the Dark Blade going first and opting to go down the vegetated route.
The Unchained took the other path...
Ep 14. Whisperer in the Dark
A tomb lined corridor lead to a large crypt with a huge skull carved into the wall with a dark tunnel disappearing into its mouth. In front was a large pool with stepping stones leading into the tunnel. Garet discovered that the pool was shallow with coins scattered on the bottom. Brandor threw in a coin and this made the steps glow slightly. Brandor lead the way, stepping through the tunnel. One by one they threw in a coin and followed.
The tunnel lead to a large staircase going down through a huge crypt. They found themselves in a crystalline tunnel. Strange images appeared in the faces of the crystals. As they explored they labyrinthine passages they found chambers, all alike, with crystalline walls. They started to feel that they were lost and Venrika said that she thought they were going in circles. Soon they arrived at a chamber which everyone agreed they had already visited. "I told you! Have you got amnesia! It was the same cock-a-doody cave!" was Venrika's response.
They found a tunnel they hadn't gone down before but it was a dead end. Their lights went out and they were in complete darkness. Even those with darkvision could see nothing! In the darkness they could hear whispers. The whispers got louder and louder and madness crowded their fragile, eggshell minds...
Ep. 15 Chamber of Dreams
Zalaskar and Eep backed out of the dead end but in the darkness, chaos ensued. Grok panicked and swung his axe hitting Garet, Drongforth firebolted brandor. They fled back to a crystalline corridor to be met with Henrick looking at them quizically.
"That's the Blind Alley. You don't want to go down there. There used to be a sign..."
Henrick took them on the correct path soon arriving at a grand door. Henrick pushed it open. "Ladies and gentlemen. Boys and girls. The chamber of dreams"
It was a wide chamber with large glowing crystals punctuating the space. On the far side was a large pool of water which, if the instructions from Maudlius were to be believed, was the entrance to Sanctuary.
As they were taking it in, the Dark Blade arrived from the far side of the room. As Venrika decided to enter the pool, Aldric blocked her.
At that moment, something emerged from the pool. A woman, walking gracefully. She slicked back her straight black hair.
Aldric tried to push past her but she grabbed him and lifted him off the ground. She pushed him into one if the crystals and he vanished to be replaced by a flickering image in the crystal.
She introduced herself as Seraphina Delathorne.
"Pathetic mortals. Hurling your bodies out into the mist, without the slightest inkling of who or what is out here. If you had known anything about the true nature of the world, anything at all, you would've hidden from it in terror"
She offered the party a eternal happiness in "The Dream".
They declined and a fight ensued. Seraphina conjured three "nightmares" from the crystals. Elowen took the opportunity to jump into the pool.
Seraphina grabbed Venrika and held her with a steel grip. "Can you run? I think not."
She maneuvered Venrika towards one of the crystals. A few inches more and she would suffer the same fate as Aldric.
At that moment, Alara arrived. 'Get away from her you BITCH!"
Sparks of magic energy grew around Alara's hands. She brought them together and blasted Seraphina with a lightning bolt.
With Seraphina's concentration broken, the nightmares vanished and the whole party was able to concentrate their attacks in an avalanche on Seraphina. On the verge of defeat she grasped a magic amulet that hung round her neck and magically vanished.
Without any certainty about what lay beyond, one by one they stepped into the pool and disappeared into the dark water...
Ep 16. Sanctuary
Drongforth and Zalaskar found themselves on a rocky island floating in a celestial void. A half shattered stone staircase led to a stone keep, the Temple on the Edge of Forever, where they met a diminuitive balding man in red robes, trimmed in gold. He offered a choice of a magic item each
Drongforth chose a plain silver ring, "Argol Ethuil" also known as "The Keeper"
Zalaskar chose a crystalline amulet, "The Stone of Astra" also known as the Twelth Talisman, born in the heart of a dark star.
Grok and Garret found themselves in an icy wasteland where a wrecked ship lay trapped in the ice. In the ship they were offered "mostly rum" and given a choice of magic weapons.
Grok chose a war axe, Deimos.
Garret chose a short sword, "Eejay"
Eihpos and Brandor found themselves in a city where the buildings were mirrors and the people were smoke. They were offered a choice of items.
Eep chose a whip, Veritas.
Brandor chose the shield "Embergard"
Venrika met a strange old man who gave her a staff imbued with "the most powerful magic of all", Chronomancy.
In each case a magic doorway appeared which they went through.
They lost track of the passage of time and awoke lying in wet grass on a sunny day in a tree-lined glade back on the island.
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