Here is the recap of session three:
- The Merchant Council and Lady Bron of Iriaebor asked the characters to investigate rumours of an outbreak of the abyssal plague in Easting. A cult of dwarven Ghaunadaur worshipers is responsible for the spreading the plague.
- Characters might have contracted the plague after a battle against plague demons in Easting.
- Jakairn, a cultist captured in the same battle, revealed the location of the culr's temple, the Sunset Shrine in the badlands south of Easting. He might have provided more information on entering the temple. If half or more of the players
- The trail to the temple was far from sage. Characters had a clash with cultists and a run-in with a couple of drow scouts.
- The adventurers found Sunset Shrine but have not investigates its entrance.
This is what happened this week:
The players have a chance to look around this area before the tactical encounter begins. Quite a few points of interest are present in this encounter. If the characters play their cars right, they will figure out that there is something amiss with the area and should be ready. Characters noticing some of the features around here are not surprised when the encounter begins.
1. The Teeth of Ghaunadaur
Seven twisted spires - three pairs and one single one, surround this shrine entrance. Each spire is about 30 feet high, and pointed like tentacles. Even after a close examination, the players realize that the stone formations are harmless.
2. Dusty Signs
Elementals guard this area and have left indications of this ongoing protection. If the characters succeed on a DC 13 perception check, they notice that something is amiss, unnaturally scoured patched in the area. This allows the character making the perception check to roll arcana or nature check to identify that an elemental could produce this type of burst. It is not natural.
3. Mud Pools
The mud in these pools is grey and thick, smells like rotten eggs, and is each 2 feet deep. A DC 13 perception check give the characters to try a nature and arcana check to determine the mud is not natural, containing creatures. Mud globs around the pools indicate something elemental in nature in the pools. Disturbing the pools in any way automatically set off the tactical encounters.
4. Temple Entrance
Worn black stone forms the entrance and stairs into the shrine. Down the stairs are closed doors of the same back stone. Arcana(trained only detect magic) DC13 shows an aura around the doorway, with DC 20 shows a glyph of some type. Phrase from session 2 (if characters got it from Jaikairn) neutralizes the trap. The pass-phrase is 'That which lurks devours all.'.
When the encounter starts the characters are faced with the following foes:
1. one Dust Devil - Level 3 Skirmisher
2. one Lesser Air Elemental - Level 1 Lurker
3. three Mud Men - Level 2 Brute
When the characters defeat the enemies, they are free to open the temple entrance. Characters get a random magic item and 275XP.
Sights and Sounds Recap
The characters this week were smart about doing their checks. Unfortunately, the character still diseased with the abyssal plague failed his check. As a jest he said that he enters the mud pool to try and scrape off the sores and sets off the tactical encounter. The paladin is ganged up on and withing 3 rounds is dropped, the barbarian shines and dishes out tons of damage, yet the monsters were still able to keep the party off their feet for about 6 rounds before they got their feet under them and made quick work of the rest of the monsters.