The Lost Refuge

The Tomb of Chonis

After purchasing supplies and equipment for their expedition to locate the "Lost Refuge" and rescue the missing captives who had been sent there, the Party set out a couple of days later.

Garan led the way, eventually locating a little used track a few miles to the north of the Manticore Way that appear to be the one indicated on the sketch map they had found. Several hours later, in the late afternoon, they spotted a set of ruins atop a hill ahead of them, a thin trickle of smoke rising from it - presumably the "Unknown Shrine". Calita wildshaped into a hawk and flew overhead, seeing two figures, a human and a gnome sitting round a campfire in the ruins, their mounts tethered nearby. Erik  led the way up the hill, greeting the camp with a measure of caution. The  travelers inside, a couple of merchants, dealing in "trinkets", named Coobert Draftworth and Norry Waywrocket, seem pleasant enough, offering cups of tea and inviting them to join them in a meal of rabbit roasting on a spit over the fire. As they settled in to rest they exchanged news with the merchants, who warned them that strange "shadowed" bandits had occupied  the Tomb of Chonis which lay along the route to the Vast Swamp, and seemed quite keen that the Party investigate. Erik, intrigued by the reference to "shadowed" given their recent encounters on the false temple of Mystra, agreed and next morning they set out for the tomb, some 15 miles to the west.

The tomb was an ancient barrow-mound, marked by a dark opening in a hillside. Garan quickly scouted the area spotting what looked like a small figure hiding in the darkness of the entrance. After a quick conference with the rest of the Party it was decided that Erik would approach frost, and the Paladin strode forward calling out a greeting - only to be met by an arrow in response! The Party charged forward into the tomb. Erik drew his sword to illuminate their way, only to catch sight of their assailant fleeing round a corner, the far side of a wooden-planked rope bride which spanned a pit. The wall at the far side was dominated by a crude carving of a huge frowning horned face, its mouth a deep black crevice. Two doorways gaped on either side. As the Party moved forward they came under attack by more arrows, fired from hidden slits in the carved face. 

Garan led the way charging round the right passageway, skirting a mysterious area of black fog and chasing down a passageway to be confronted by three dark creepers, who threw down their bows, drew shortswords and waited for his attack. Garan duly obliged them! As Erik and Calita moved to support, they came under attack by a fourth  dark creeper emerging from the strange fog, but the paladin made short work of him before moving to support Garan in dispatching the others. As the battle came to and Calita healed those wounded with her wand, spotting as she moved round a secret door. As they went to investigate the secret door they came under attack by arrows emerging out of the fog. Realising they had no choice, the Party moved into the fog, taking on a came of cat and mouse with their mysterious opponent before finally tracking him down and killing him, discovering he was in fact a dark stalker.

With the death of the dark stalker, the fog eventually began to clear, leaving the Party free to investigate the secret door, where inside a stone casket in the room beyond they found some jewelery, fine clothes and 20 bottles marked  "Utterdark" the labels marked with a date from four years previously. Garan commented that this was not the sort of loot that would be expected in an ancient tomb and speculated that this was in fact a cache belonging to the two merchants they had met the night before , which might explain their keenness in getting the Party to investigate the tomb. This hypothesis was borne out when on leaving the tomb, Erik spotted the pair hiding in the bushes anxiously observing the tomb entrance. Somewhat sheepishly the two merchants admitted their stratagem and somewhat belatedly offered the Party a reward of 50gp. Erik also claimed a bottle of utterdark as part of their reward, but none of them found the dark salty wine to their taste!

Taking their leave of the merchants, who hurried into the tomb, the Party continued eastwards eventually arriving at the edge of the Vast Swamp. As per their map, the area was  marked by a huge broken log which jutted from the marshy ground at a steep angle, rising to a height of 30 feet. Skulls of various types crowded all about the base in a heap and more skulls decorated its sides with wooden stakes or iron spiked driven through to hold them aloft. Beyond the Skull Staff, a muddy path wended its way and continued into the swamp!

The Sharptooth Encampment

As the Party surveyed the Skull Staff, they came under attack as nets were thrown at them from nearby bushes and a small army of lizardfolk emerged out of the swamp water nearby. As Garan and Calita struggled to free themselves from the entangling nets, the lizardfolk charged froward pointing weapons menacingly. Calita managed to free herself enough to cast a flaming sphere spell at one of the blackscale lizardfolk, three of whom then dashed forward and began trying to club her into unconsciousness. Gran noted that, strangely, the large lizardfolk appeared to pulling their blows! One of the smaller lizard folk pointed at them and began hissing at them in draconic. Fortunately Garan spoke the language and realised that the lizardfolk were, albeit clumsily, trying capture them to bring them to their chieftain.  Realising that the lizardfolk did not mean to harm them, hostilities were ceased and Erik helped free his comrades from the nets.

The lizardfolk then led them through the swamp to their encampment, a steamy site situated amidst hot springs and geysers. The Party were introduced to the chieftain, Kessessek who in halting common explained that his men had in fact being trying to rescue them as they though the Party were like the other "dream-walkers" heading to the keep and that he was seeking their help. He went on to explain that one of the nearby lizardfolk tribes, had fallen under the sway of a black dragon and had been horribly changed , their eyes glowed like fire and "shadows" wrapped their scales to protect them. They have become walking dead and are allied with the people occupying the keep where the dream-walkers go. He went on to explain the the previous chief and his daughter, Kessessek's mate, had recently been captured.  The chieftain was just wrapping up his story when suddenly with a piercing cry a grell few down from the steam and attacked his, his tentacles paralysing him! The Party barely had time to react when a group of undead lizardfolk with fiery eyes and covered i n shadow, charged out of the steam at them. In the ensuing melee, Calita managed to take down the grell with a couple of well placed spells while Garan and Erik cut a swathe through the shadowscales, ably aided by Dog. Once the battle was over and Kessessek's paralysis had faded he offered them healing and a place to rest for the night.

Next day, guided by one of the lizardfolk rangers, the Part made their way through the swamp to the Lost Refuge, or "keep" as the lizardfolk referred to it, arriving in the early evening just after sunset. The small keep was  overgrown and run down, however a portcullis guarded the entrance, illuminated by a flaring torch, and the Party could see flickering firelight which escaped out of arrow slits in the wall near the portcullis. The Party began sneaking forward. Garan and Calita easily made it to the walls unseen and unheard, unfortunately sneaking not being one of Erik's strong points his attempt drew a challenge from within, swiftly followed by an arrow! Things were complicated when the "torch" detached itself from, the wall revealing itself to be a will-o-the-wisp which attacked Calita.

Under sporadic fire from the gatehouse Erik charged forward to the portcullis while Calita and Garan swarmed up the ivy. Under constant attack from the annoyingly hard-to-hit will-o-the-wisp, they made their way across the gatehouse roof and dropped down into the courtyard beyond. Erik, realising he couldn't budge the portcullis, and under constant attack, quickly followed his friends actions joining them in battle against the will-o-the-wisp, helping in it's final dispatch.

Beyond the Gatehouse

Opening the door of the Gatehouse with a chime of opening the party swiftly dealt with the defenders within. As they searched the room Galen peered cautiously out into the darkness of the courtyard, through the partially opened door and for a moment he thought he spotted movement out there.  As he strained to see what could be out there, he called out a warning to the others.

As the Party took up defensive stances, they though they hear someone clambering up onto the roof and Galen moved over to the fireplace only to come under attack from a spike chain wielder attacking through the hole in the roof being used as a chimney.  His attempted to sunder the chain unfortunately failed, meanwhile Erik called out a challenge to those outside, which was accepted. Moving out into the courtyard there were three shadar-kai who initially were difficult to spot in the gloom, but once battle was joined, they eventually fell before the Party's assault.

This led the Party free to check out the main building and Erik strode forward throwing open the main doors to be instantly confronted by a group of  shadowslain. As they Party waded into them a female cleric emerged from the doors to the south and joined the fray, casting spiritual weapon against Erik. She them managed to cast a hold person on Eric before being slain by Galen.

As the last of the shadowslain fell before Calita's assault Galen spotted four more opponents, a cleric and three wizard appear from the northern half of the building. Charging forward to confront them he came under immediate assault by a barrage of magic missile spells. Erik, freed from the spell holding him charged in and laid into them as Calita used a wand to heal Galen. In short order their opponents were dispatched, but as they searched their bodies came the sickening realisation that these four were some of the people they had been sent to rescue from the cult's clutches! (worst rescue EVER!) As Erik struggled with the moral dilemma of having slain those he was tasked with saving and whether this might taint his paladin hood forever, Erik and Calita pressed on, finding their sleeping accommodation in nearby rooms.

Eventually they reached a set of double-doors which Galen marched through into an enormous chamber. Elegant columns supported the beautifully arched ceiling - except where the columns have crumbled and the ceiling begun to collapse. The most striking feature of the room however was a giant orb of swirling shadow near the centre of the room, which extended huge black tendrils out almost to the walls. Writhing and twisting they seemed to suck the light from the air. The room was occupied by several shadar-kai and a half-dragon lizardfolk, all of whom looked to be spoiling for a fight!

Galen and Calita  immediately waded in to the shadar-kai, cutting swathes through them, while Erik made a beeline for half-dragon. This proved a costly choice as the half-dragon was a formidable opponent. Calita hit her with a saltray,but Erik found it difficult to land a telling blow,  and after receiving a combination of blows from her spear and breath weapon, he crumpled to the ground near dead. Seeing this Calita cast vigour, mass stabilising him. Galen meanwhile despatched the last of the shadar-kai and turned to help his friends.

The Great Tower

Under the combined assault from Calita, her spiritjaws spell and Garan, the half-dragon attempted to flee the combat but was cut down before she could reach the doors. This freed the Party's attention to turn towards resuscitating their fallen paladin, who was soon restored to heath.

They searched the nearby rooms finding a few bits of treasure but not much else. They found a couple of letters that indicated that the priests of Shar were behind the recent events and that further answers lay beyond the Dusk Lord's Passage - the black orb in the great hallway. 

Eventually behind one of the statues that dotted the walls of the room they found a secret access to the old keep's tower where they quickly disposed of two more shadar-kai and a shadow mastiff! There was a large hole in the ceiling but the Party chose the rickety wooden staircase led up to the level above where they found the missing lizardfolk they had been asked to find. Unfortunately they also found that the prisoners were being guarded by a khumat, who almost killed Garan and Erik before the Party withdrew to the gatehouse to lick their wounds.

After a night's rest and recovery, and knowing what they were going to face they party consumed what buffing potions and cast spells in preparation for their renewed assault. This time while Erik charged up the staircase to attack, Garan and Calita, wild-shaped into a small bird, went in via the hole in the ceiling for a two-pronged attack.

This time it went much better and under the combined assault of Erik's blade, fortified with smite evil, Garan's attacks and Calita's spells, the khumat was defeated, but not before badly wounding Erik and Garan.

The Lizardfolk captives were suitably grateful for being released and the Party escorted them back to their home.