Seven Swords of Sin

Kaer Maga

After receiving their land and Knighthoods from Sir Tolgrith on behalf of the Korvosan king, the party made decisions on where to set up their holdings.

Farren, with Sir Tolgrith’s permission, took over Vardak’s Fortress.

Lia set up home with a small shrine near the Druid Oakbrow.

Ulthgar took over the underground lair of the Owlbears.

Roscoe took over the lair of the Roseblood Sprites.

Hogradin and Tostig, still undecided remained at the Inn at Fort Thorn for the time being.

After a couple of months, Sir Tolgrith sent messages to all the party to say that the Church of Abadar had a mission for the hero’s of the Vale and asked they make haste to Fort Thorn. Farren was last to arrive from his fort in the mountains. Sir Tolgrith introduced them to a Cleric of Abadar who says the Prelate of the Church of Abadar in Korvosa has a job for them and if they were willing, the Cleric would escort them to the Prelate. The party agreed and at dawn the following morning they headed off to Korvosa.

On arriving at the Church of Abadar on Korvosa, their guide escorted them to an audience with the Prelate, Wen Histani. Once settled, Wen began by saying “your reputation has led us to reach out”. Wen continued to say an item of great importance was stolen from one of the Church vaults. The item was a powerful relic from history, known as the Sword of Lust, one of the Seven Swords of Sin used by the Rune Lords in ages past. Wen tasks the party with recovering the Sword, along with others that may be in the thief’s hands, and advised discretion and secrecy is paramount due to the danger posed if all seven swords are reunited. Wen said they have traced the theif, a powerful enchantress named Tirana to Kaer Maga. Wen offers the party 10,000gp for the return of the Sword of Lust and any of its companions. The party agreed.

The following day the party set off to Kaer Maga. After almost a weeks travel they arrived at the City. On their approach kaer Maga appears a walled city of white stone. The main entrance into the city is through a massive breach in the walls, known as the Warren. On entering the city, the party were greeted by a shanty town of wood and detritus. The Warren was crowded, as they entered the city they were approached by a young boisterous adolescent, Dart, who offered to assist them. Taking Dart up on his offer, he escorted the party to a good Inn. The party asked Dart of he knew or could find out anything about the mysterious Tirana. Dart said he would check and left the party in the Inn.

The following morning Dart returned, accompanied by a scarred and somewhat shift Dwarf. The dwarf introduces himself as Gadka Burtannon, purveyor of wondrous items. Gadka says he knows of Tirana as he has had business dealings in the past and knows where to find her. However, Gadka says he needs a favour first before he shares the information. There is a street gang, The Splitstreet Gang, causing him and fellow stall holders trouble, demanding protection money. Gadka says if the Party can deal with the gang he will share his information. Gadka says the Gang is due at the location of hist stall later that day.

The party head to Gadka’s stall at the intersection of Fever Street and Half a Chicken walk. The party take up station around the area. Soon, the Splitstreet Gang appears and starts harassing the street vendors. The party intervenes, killing some gang members, and driving off 3. Gadka is pleased and provides the party with the location of Tirana’s lair. The location is abandoned tunnels and laboratories once owned by the scientific conclave, the Council of Truth. The entrance is marked by the ruins of an old watermill near the outer wall by the cliff. Gadka also tells the party they have a lifetime discount of 25% from his treasures.

Dart leads the party to the ruins of the Watermill. Rather than a frontal assault, the party looks for any other potential way in. Roscoe notices an opening in the cliff face high above the ruins. Deciding to wait until dark before attempting that way in. As darkness fell Roscoe climbed up accompanied by Farren using his slippers of spider climb. They managed to secure a rope to allow the rest of the party to join them. The entrance led to what appeared to be a ventilation shaft leading down. With the aid of the rope the part reached the bottom of the ventilation shaft which opened into a chamber with 3 turbines, spinning slowly to circulate the air.

Roscoe tumbled passed the blades to see if there was any sort of “off” switch for the turbines, but to no avail. However, Hogradin, using Grandad’s Axe managed to temporarily jam one of the turbines to allow the party to pass. Once safely past the Turbines, the part found themselves at a T junction. The corridors lit with continual flame spells cast on ceiling tiles. The T junction had corridors leading both East and West with closed steel doors at the end. Deciding on the West passage, the party approached the door. Roscoe checked for traps, finding none.

The party cautiously opened the door. Revealing a large chamber with a cloudy pool covering most of the floor. A stone bridge bisects the pool, upon which sits a massive bit of machinery giving off a mechanical hum. At the end of the chamber to the North stands a raised platform with a metallic console overlooking the pool. The ever inquisitive and impulsive Farren headed straight to the machinery on the bridge. This prompted a response from the room’s guardian, a Giant Squid, whose tentacles lashed out from the pool attacking the party. Farren was sorely wounded in the first strike, and only his Dimension Door spell saved him from certain death. The battle was brutal, but eventually the Squid was killed. The party took time to heal their assorted wounds…

A Shocking Encounter

Once healing had been dished out the party examined the machinery in the room but were unable to fathom out the operation and decided to leave well alone as Roscoe pointed out that the machinery obviously controlled the ventilation in the dungeon. Deciding to continue the party headed out the double doors down a rough-hewn passage. The scent of Ozone and a continues drone of pops and hums came from the way ahead.

Moving forward cautiously the passage opened into a large chamber. At its centre four clusters of white crystals jut from the stone floor. Wild arcs of electricity leap & dance between the floor crystals and a fifth crystal upon the North wall. Withing the ring of crystals a pile of armour and treasure lay heaped in a pile. As the party moved into investigate an  Air Mephit  appeared from beneath the mound of Treasure and announced “Halt Mortals! You have entered the realm of Avaneidardax. Render to me that which is metal or prepare to be shocked.

Ignoring the Mephit, the party advanced to be met by lightning bolts, seemingly directed by the Air Mephit. As the party unleashed missile weapons and spell, Roscoe tumbled into the ring of Crystals avoiding the lightening. The Air Mephit was quickly vanquished. Roscoe recovered a sphere of silver metal from the Mephit. Roscoe chucked out the treasure from withing the ring of lightening, but as he left the ring (with the sphere of silver metal) the lightening became unstable and started filling the room with wild blasts of electricity.

Farren dashed across the room down a corridor on the Northwest wall, whilst Roscoe tumbled back in the ring of crystal and the rest of the party retreating the way they had come. Finding himself on his own, rather than wait Farren moved down the corridor, entering a door on the East wall. The open door revealed an elegant room tiled with white marble and a long raised trough running through the centre of the room containing crystal clear water and some fish. Whilst Farren was investigating the room, guards from a hidden room next door, moved out the deal with the hapless wizard.

Meanwhile the rest of the party finally figured out the Sphere Roscoe was carrying was they key to the random lightening and were able to cross the cavern to follow Farren, arriving just in time to help him deal with the “guards” (more of the Splitstreet thugs they had already met in the city above). After healing wounds, the party continued down the corridor to a room that was dominated at the North end by a massive pile of treasure. Thinking this was too good to be true Lia asked Roscoe to check for traps and found a collapsing wall trap behind the treasure. The treasure itself turned out to be nothing more than an illusion. As the party headed on Hogradin and Roscoe wondered what was be hind the trapped wall and decided the trigger the Trap. Unfortunately, there was nothing of value just a very angry Gray Render which leaped to attack. The battle was brutal, but the party prevailed, albeit suffering more wounds.

Continuing on, led by Farren, down a twisting passage with old traps, triggered long ago, some still containing the skeletons of the victims. Eventually the corridor led to a door. On opening the door, the party were greeted by the acrid smell of sulphur and burnt earth. In the centre of the room, 3 pillars stood atop of each an open skull containing a glowing liquid (blue, red, and yellow). To the South a fire scarred black cauldron stood and to the East an alcove containing pouches of blue, red, and yellow powder and lumps of lead. On the North wall of the chamber were three paintings, giving off a strange radiance. As usual, it was Farren who decided to see what this Alchemy was about and deposited some red liquid and blue powder into the cauldron, opening a gate to the Negative Energy Plane….. Whilst the rest of the party urged caution, and retreated, Farren still curious added another powder which caused the Cauldron to explode, nearly killing the Wizard.

The Demise of Roscoe C. Leafgallow

Once Farren was healed from his misadventures with the Cauldron, the partly left the Alchemist’s room to reveal a crossroads and chose the Southern passage, which led to a closed Door. After Roscoe checked for traps, he stepped back and let the others enter the room first. Open opening the door the party were greeted by thick, cloying air carrying the smell of rotting meat, sickly sweet flowers, exotic smoke and reptilian musk. Shadows and soke coiled in the corners of the room. On the North and South wall visages of two different hostile terrains, with movement & sound coming from them. Farren deduced they were likely portals to elsewhere and headed in to investigate. The rest of the Party followed a bit reluctantly. As Farren headed to inspect the visage on the North wall, two creatures leapt out from the shadows & smoke in the corners of the room to attack. The creatures looked like some sort of bipedal reptile with strange goblin riders. The battle was fierce, but the party prevailed, but not before being sorely wounded.

Once healing was dished out, the party retraced their steps and headed down the east passage to a Library. Again, Farren was in his element and after some time searching, they found lots of research, probably by the Enchantress Tirana, on the Seven Swords of Last. Gathering the notes the party left the room.

Roscoe, moving ahead headed down the East passage to a set of massive Steel double doors.  As he stepped in front of the doors, the opened quickly retracting into the ceiling to reveal a stiflingly hot chamber, bare except for a 10’ wide chasm containing a roaring fire and a large cauldron beyond filled with glowing molten stone. Roscoe urged Farren in to investigate. Casting Resist Energy (fire) Farren explored the Chamber revealing nothing of note except the heat and left.

Heading up the Northen passageway, the way ahead was blocked with tumbled masonry, but a short passage to the East led to a set of double doors. Roscoe opened the doors to reveal a large chamber whose floor & ceiling were covered with 5’square tiles festooned with a forest of standing metallic spikes and nails. Headless of the potential danger Roscoe stepped in, immediately triggering a “Reverse Gravity” trap that saw him slammed to the ceiling taking damage from the metal spikes & nails. Edging to the next tile on the ceiling the gravity reverted to the right way, again dropping the rogue into more spikes. Being a bit more careful now, Roscoe studied the room, discovering the trap pattern and made the rest of the way safely to the east wall and stairs leading down. The rest of the party gingerly followed Roscoe’s steps to the stairs beyond.

The stairs led down to a corridor made of white masonry with passages heading West and South. Roscoe headed South to a set of doors on the West wall. After navigating the spiked trap room upstairs, Roscoe carelessly opened the door to reveal a room containing a large steel apparatus covered in tubes, cords, levers, and gauges. A large, recessed door dominated the centre of the machine. Engraved on the machines surface was a strange script. Farren was able to decipher the script and announced the machine could turn corpses into healing potions.

Roscoe, bord with the room headed South along the corridor to another set of doors flinging them open to reveal a room, stark like an operating theatre. On a freestanding steel table in the room, lay a mutilated body of a dog headed man. Standing over the corpse was tall, white haired man in a bloodstained lab coat. Roscoe called out loudly “where’s the toilet” and headed into the room, The white haired man, Uzbin Oarault, turned out to be a Necromancer. As Rosoe entered the room, Uzbin cast Enervation on the rogue. Hearing Roscoe’s cry the party ran to join him and entered the fray. Despite the Necromancers spells, he was quickly overcome. Farren, eager to test the “recycling machine" cajoled Hograding to depositing the corpse through the recessed door of the machine. After much humming and gurgling, eventually the machine deposited a potion of Cure Moderate Wounds.

The Necromancer's room had doors to the South which led to a prison of sorts. Most of the cages were empty, but three held badly tortured and mutilated monsters. Too far gone to help, Farren put the creatures out of their misery using his wand of Magic Missiles. The prison room had doors on the East wall.

The party opened the doors to reveal a room heavily overgrown with vegetation. Thick mats of thorny green vines covered the floor, walls, and ceiling. In the entre of the room a square ring of trenching filled with glowing blue water and a fountain on the opposite wall belched a stream of the same liquid. A detect magic spell revealed a magic source from the trench at the far side of the room. As the party moved in carefully to investigate, moving slowly because of the thorny vines, they came under attack from two Shambling Mounds hidden amongst the vegetation. Hampered by the vegetation, the partly initially struggled with the monsters, but eventually the party gained the upper hand. For some reason, Roscoe leaped past a shambling mound, into the glowing water in the trench. His cream was horrible as the rogue disappeared below the surface and the acid did its grisly work. Roscoe’s friends, powerless to save him, despatched the monsters and lamented the loss of their friend & colleague……

A Prisoner Released

After saying their last goodbyes to Roscoe, the party explored the overgrown room. However, they couldn’t figure out how to retrieve Roscoe’s body and items or investigate the other magical source sunk in the acid filled trench. Moving on, the party opened the large double doors on the North wall to reveal a large chamber. In the centre of the room there is a massive block of stone rises nearly to the ceiling with two sets of bronze double doors on the East and West of this structure. Across the sides of the block of stone flow horizontal bands containing thousands of miniscule engravings. The party also noticed a bound and gagged half orc slumped in the South East corner of the room. After freeing the half orc, he announced he was known as Thokk and got captured whilst trying to loot the place and dumped here. Whilst the party spoke to Thokk, Farren immediately set to studying the engravings and announced each was a slightly different representation of a Scarab beetle.  Farren tried to open the bronze doors but found them too heavy. Calling on his comrades, one of the doors was pulled open to reveal a small room containing a sarcophagus that glowed faintly, apparently constructed entirely of gold! Runes like those on the stone walls covered its surface, but these appeared to move. The party also head the sounds of thousands of bugs crawling about inside. Deciding to leave this room for now.

Back in the overgrown room, on hearing the plight of Roscoe, braved the acid and retrieved the deceased rogue’s body and belongings. The party again said their goodbyes before retracing their steps to the stairs from the level above and headed down the corridor to the West.

The Western passage led to a door to the North West and a rough hewn passage to the South West.Opting to check the door first. On opening the door, the party were greeted by a roaring wind blowing from North to South through small antechambers. Beyond the wind, the party could see a chamber with two large cylindrical glass tanks with conduits running into the ceiling. One was filled with an orange liquid, the other broken. With the exception of Farren, the party dashed through the wind into the chamber proper. They immediately come under attack from a Splitstreet gang member. Something about him seemed off, which soon became apparent as an unknown Swarm erupted from his body and joined the attack. The thug was quickly dealt with, but the swarm proved more troublesome, seemingly immune to the majority of the party’s attacks. Quickly the party decided to leave the room. Some heading West to join Farren through the wind whilst others headed East through another roaring wind into a chamber dominated by a pool of crystal-clear water in an ornate stone cistern. It appeared the Swarm couldn’t pass through the wind and leave the room it was in.

Examining the cistern, they discovered a keyhole wedged between carvings on the cistern. Remembering the key encased in amber they picked up from the alchemical chamber above, they tried to free they key unsuccessfully. Giving up they dashed through both wind walls to join the other party members.

Farren, having got bored, made his way down the to a vast chamber, with a huge pool of dark water separating him from the ledge on the far Western side. Farren also noticed a wooden rowboat bobbing near the Eastern shore and a rotting wooden bridge leading to a small rocky outcropping jutting from the pools surface. The party eventually found Farren sitting on the floor towards the East wall of the cavern having lunch. Exploring the cavern the party found a rough-hewn passage further along the eastern wall. Moving down the passage to investigate the party found themselves in a large cavern. The floor was rough and flat whilst the ceiling climbs in steps like a ziggurat. Throughout the chamber, dozens of age blackened longswords fall from narrow slots in the ceiling to be reclaimed by similar slots on the floor. The sound of steel hissing fills the room. In between the slots on the floor is inscribed an incredibly complex patter. Standing in the centre of the room stands a figure in a deep hooded cowl holding black bastard sword covered in glowing runes. The party find themselves compelled to move nearer the figure who hisses the word welcome. Battle is joined and their foe, an ancient vampire proved very tough sorely injuring a couple of party members before Lia was able to identify and turn the undead. The Vampire, in gaseous form retreated through a small hole in the floor below him.

Out of the frying pan into the fire

The party approached the lake to investigate a way across the dark gloomy waters to the dry shelf or rock to the West of the cavern. Whilst some investigated the wooden rowboat moored near the shore, Farren cautiously made his carefully across the rotting wooden bridge. On reaching the small rocky outcropping at the end of the bridge, Farren shouted out a challenge to the cavern. Farren's cry echoed around the cavern, startling the rest of the party, when suddenly erupting from the water was a young male Black Dragon, roaring his own challenge and used his acidic breath weapon on Farren. Battle was joined. The Dragon using his breath weapon and fly by attacks proved a challenging foe but was eventually slain by a combination of magic and melee attacks on the dragons fly by. A few of the party bore serious wounds after the combat, and healing was dished out.

After retrieving the Dragon’s hoard from the lakebed, using the boat, the party cautiously and uneventfully made their way to the dry shelf to the West of the cavern. The dry shelf opened into a rough-hewn chamber with a 10’ wide channel barely containing a torrent of dark fetid water, occasionally emitting tiny sparks. The channel completely bisected the chamber. Deciding not to touch the water, the party crossed the channel by various means only to be attached by a couple of Chuuls. The Chuuls proved stout opponents but were eventually slain.  At the far south of the cavern lay a stout door.

Opening the door revealed an empty space within an enormous cylinder 60’ deep. Narrow stone blocks float magically in the tubes centre creating a spiral staircase of sorts leading down. The party took various methods to descent the cylinder, some magical and some mundane, but came under attack from an invisible creature. The creature (An Invisible Stalker) proved more annoying than dangerous, using a Ring of the Ram to attack the party before eventually being killed.

The doors at the bottom of the stairs opened into a large T-Shaped room, the floor made of riveted metal. Large Double Doors were on the far side on the South wall. Within the room there are 3 pedestals bearing large switches…

Traps, Traps, Traps

The party began examining the switches on the 3 pedestals but could not get them to budge. Getting bored, Hogradin and Lia approached the large double doors. On touching the doors, the trap was triggered, locking both doors in this room. After much discussion, speculation and trial & error, the party decided to try to flip all three switches at the same time. Doing this unlocked the doors triggering the second part of the trap. The room was dissected in 3 by walls of fire and 3 large fire elementals appeared. The elementals were dealt with, but not before Farren was again badly injured.

After healing was dished out the party were able to open the large doors on the East wall to reveal a large stone room with double doors to the North & South. The room was unremarkable save for a dark rectangular pit in the centre of the room. A thick rusty metal grating covered the pit. Moving forward to investigate triggered another trap. The room began to shake & rumble. The stone floor at the bottom of the pit pistons upwards forcing two Ochre Jelly’s through the grating. As the party moved to engage the Jelly’s other traps were triggered with electrical discharges erupting from some tiles within the room. Again the party prevailed, but not with out taking further damage.

With still no signs of the Swords of Sin, the party decided to try the Southern doors. As the party peered into the large room they were met with the sight (and smell) of acrid yellow smoke billowing out from a yawning crack in the stone floor with tongues of black flame flickering from the edge of the crevasse. Withing the smoke a strange, winged shape was beginning to coalesce. Across the room against the West wall two steep staircases extend up to a stone balcony. On the stairs & balcony 6 black robed figures were chanting. Deciding whatever the figures were summoning must be stopped the party targeted the cultists in an attempt to disrupt the summoning. Farren’s fireballs proved very effective, and the cultists were swiftly deal with, but not before a Vrock manifested above the crevasse. Taking to the air the Vrock attacked the party. The winged demon proved a tough foe, but the party eventually destroyed it, but again not without taking damage.

The Tortured Giant

Exploring the chamber revealed a door along the North wall, and Lia discovered a secret door along the South wall. Deciding to explore the door on the North wall first revealed a large chamber with a Fire Giant chained to two immense stone pillars in the centre of the room. The giant hung limply from the chains, and it was obvious that he had been tortured. Trying to converse with the giant proved fruitless and only enraged him. The sight of the Dwarf, Ulthgar proved the last straw and the giant broke free of the chains and attacked the party. Farren wisely this time, retreated to a safe distance. The giant was eventually slain, but not before injuring party members.

Deciding to explore the secret door next, the party opened the door to reveal an elegant bed chamber, with a four poster bed and tapestries on the wall. The chamber was lived in, but empty. They did discover some treasures and scroll and tomes relating to the seven Swords. Leaving this room the party retraced their steps to the pit room with the rusty grating and opened the large double doors on the East wall.

The door revealed a room with a large Portal in the centre, leading to a barren landscape. A maelstrom of wind and dust swirls around the whole chamber. Another set of doors could be seen on the far side of the room. Knowing they had to move forward, the party edged slowly into the maelstrom, avoiding the Portal. However they came under attack from two extraplanar creatures ( a Xilland a Destrachan) The combat proved tricky, particularly as the Xill could plane walk and lurked on the ethereal plane to surprise the party. After the creatures were dispatched, the party headed quickly through the doors on the far East wall to get out of the Maelstrom.

The doors opened into a corridor heading North & South. To the North was a faint red glow and to the South alcoves holding the shattered remains of statues, with the floor being littered with cracked & shattered bits of stonework.  Thokk and Ulthgar headed north to investigate the red glow. As they approached the end of the corridor it opened into a large chamber. A quick glance showed two young red dragons lounging by on ornate circular cistern in the chamber, which bubbled with lava. The heat was oppressive.

Meanwhile Lia and Farren moved South to investigate the alcoves, with Hogradin hanging back. Lia and Farren were confronted by an apologetic pair of Bralani Eldrin. The Bralani urged the party to retreat and leave the dungeon. However, when Lia and Farren did not retreat they attacked, firstly unleashing lightening bolts. Farren was very nearly killed, only swift intervention from Lia saved him. The Bralani were eventually defeated as Ulthgar moved back to help.

Seven Swords of Sin

The party headed North up the corridor towards the red glow. Peeking in they could see two young red dragons lounging either side of an ornate circular cistern with lava bubbling within. Farren went invisible and cautiously edged into the cavern to be assailed by waves of heat emanating from the cistern. Examining the dragons, Farren noticed that each move of one Dragon was mimicked exactly by the other. Perhaps they were facing only one Dragon……..

Farren decided, impulsively as always, to hit the dragons with cold spells. One vanished instantly, but enraged the remaining young dragon took to the air. Farren wisely retreated down the corridor, as the rest of the party moved in to engage the Dragon. The flying lizard proved a tricky foe, especially when joined by an Efreet rising from the bubbling lava of the cistern. Eventually both were defeated, but not without causing the party some problems.

After recovering the dragons minor hoard, the party ventured through the opening along the South wall of the cavern. The short passage opened into a large chamber comprised of two rocky shelves separated by a subterranean stream with an arch of stone crossing the stream. The shelf the party entered was bare apart from three stone outcroppings rising from the floor. These outcropping were twisted and shiny. Across the stream the party could see Tirana standing in front of an altar. On the bare stone in front of it seven-pointed star glowing blood red at with a lit candle at every point.  Above six candles a sword hung in the air point down. The space above the seventh candle was empty. Tirana herself is seen chanting and wielding a seventh sword. She completely ignores the party and carries on with her ritual.

Realising they need to stop the sorceress, the party tried to cross the stream but found the way blocked. Hogradin cast a spell, which failed, its power seemingly absorbed by the shiny stone outcroppings. Farren tried to swim the stream, finding the wat blocked as well. As the party tried to figure out how to get across the stream, they came under attack from 3 large earth Elementals that materialised in the cavern. After defeating the elementals, Hogradin noticed a Kobold cowering in a hidden alcove. The Kobold, Upar, seeing the Crown (of the Kobold King) that Hogradin was wearing immediately prostrated himself in front of the half orc. Upar pleased with Hogradin to get him out of the dungeon and in return said he could show them how to disable the effect blocking access to the Sorceress. Upar advised that shutting off the generator the party found on the first level would disable all Tirana’s protection in this room.

The party headed back to the Generator room, disabled it, then Farren used his Teleport scroll to get the party back to the cavern. They were now able to attack the sorceress. Tirana proved to be a tough foe, but after coming under a concerted attack, vanished, with the sword she was holding. The party reclaimed the other 6 swords and reasoned Tiran would come to them, so decided to retreat to the exit.

On reaching the entrance hall on the first level Tirana appeared behind the party, launching a surprise attack. Tirana was eventually slain, but not before sorely wounding a couple of the party. The seventh sword was recovered or Tirana’s corpse along with some other treasures. The party then made the long journey back to the Temple of Abadar in Korvosa. The prelate, Wen Histani, was extremely pleased with the Party and took the swords for safe keeping and handed out the agreed reward. Wen said the Temple was indebted to the Party for their service. The party took their leave and headed back to Bloodsworn Vale. Having no where else to go, Thokk accompanied them.