The Troupe visits Beregost on their way to the Firewine Ruins. They check in on Taerom Fuiruim who has found a way to counter the kobold poison used in the Nashkel Mines, and take the time to rest up. They now leave the town to the east, past the Song of the Morning Temple.
1 Eleasias 1368
We leave Beregost following the road to the temple, only to find a large group of armed men waiting outside. One of the men is different, wearing the grey robes and hood of a wizard. He calls out to us.
Are they after the statue? Is the curse not lifted?
Rose: Thieves?
Shargrailar: Was I not clear? Or is your head too thick to understand a simple sentence?
Rose: I understood you just fine. That doesn’t mean I understand what you are talking about.
Shargrailar: Really? But you have no problem walking around using one of our staves.
Rose: Which staff?
Shargrailar: So you have stolen more than one? Hmm, Thiszult will be pleased if I return more than just one.
Rose: What are you blabbering about? And what do you want?!
Shargrailar: Insolent pig! You know very well that you hold a lost staff of the cult! For even touching it, I condemn you to death!
Cult? Does he mean the Cult of the Dragon? We gave that staff to Valerie…
Rose: Wait a minute! I found this staff at the bottom of a keep. I didn’t steal it from anyone. If anything, you should thank me for finding it.
Shargrailar: Bah, claim what you will. I shall return victorious with the staff. Kill them all and return the staff to me!
He runs into the temple, leaving his entourage of mercenaries behind. They draw their swords and start advancing. Why are they so hostile? They could have just asked and we might have given it to them. The Cult of the Dragon really doesn’t like others playing with their toys.
We ready ourselves and I give the nod to Verr’Sza who switches back to his preferred form.
Rose summons the Power of the Weasel God while Khalid Covers her. The mercenaries move in while the rest of us prepare our defenses.
I finish conjuring a Web and sticky strands of silk launch from my hands into the path of the mercenaries. Rose launches herself into the middle of the mercenaries, spinning her halberd with finesse.
The Webs lash out grasping onto several of the mercenaries and holding them in place. They struggle to swing their blades toward Rose.
Jaheira calls forth a couple of war dogs to aid us in our fight, while Edwin summons a pair of hobgoblin archers.
Verr’Sza creates a Reflected Image of himself, it’s almost impossible to tell which is the illusory copy and which is him.
I Bless the party for the coming fight, and I prepare to Curse the mercenaries as well.
Jaheira manages to help Rose Regenerate her strength, but she is held in the Web and struck by one of the mercenaries.
Jaheira is hit as she retreats from the Web, and reaches for a Potion of Healing. I finish my summoning my Curse, these mercenaries are going to find things tougher from now on. One of the mercenaries breaks free from the Web and charges Verr’Sza.
I rush over to Cure Jaheira’s wounds as we turn our weapons toward the mercenaries. Verr’Sza draws his Kundane and short sword and starts to dance upon the mercenary that attacked him. One of Jaheira’s war dogs is killed by a mercenary, as is one of Edwin’s hobgoblins. Cat gets our first kill.
There are too many mercenaries chasing us down, so I summon a Horror to frighten them away. The expression on their faces drop, and they try to run away from the fight. Two are brave enough to resist, but they are caught in my Web.
One of the mercenaries is kept busy by Jaheira’s war dog, until he kills it. The other is severely wounded, even his Potions aren’t keeping him alive.
He dies, but the living mercenary makes a charge toward me. Not good, I don’t think I can take one of these guys up close.
I retreat and start throwing Magic Missiles at him, trying to keep him at bay.
He thrusts his sword at me, slashing across my chest and interrupts my attempt to evoke more Missiles.
Rose manages to get his attention, distracting him enough that I can summon more Magic Missiles.
My Horror wears off, the mercenaries regain their courage charging back toward us. Edwin’s only remaining hobgoblin holds them back.
Rose cuts the mercenary in twain, and we refocus our efforts on the returning mercenaries. My Web has faded back into the Weave by now, so Edwin begins conjuring his own.
The hobgoblin succumbs to the mercenaries’ blades as Edwin completes his conjuration.
The sun starts to appear over the horizon, the sudden brightness distracting us for a moment.The battle surges, our spells clashing with steel and screams echoing in the dawn. One of the mercenaries rushes straight for me. Thankfully, the others are held back by Edwin’s Web.
I hit him with some Magic Missiles, but he manages to thrust his sword through my midriff. I stumble back in searing pain. My vision starts to blur. This could be it. Will I die, or will this turn out to be another vision?
Edwin conjures Melf’s Acid Arrow and it flies unerringly toward the mercenary.
I stumble away from the mercenary, trailing the way with blood. Verr’Sza and Rose leap on the wounded mercenary who keeps himself alive with a Potion.
Verr’Sza cuts the mercenary down, and he is no more.
We turn back to the mercenaries in the Web. They break free from the sticky bonds. Despite the countless battles we’ve fought, I can’t help but marvel at the unrelenting brutality of these mercenaries. The Weave bends to my will, but it’s never enough to stem the tide entirely.
Rose decapitates one of the mercenaries with her Crusher.
Trapped by the Webs, the remaining mercenaries receive their coup de grâce. Verr’Sza calls them pathetic creatures for thinking they stand a chance against the Troupe.
These mercenaries were well armed. They were wearing strongly enchanted chain mail armour.
They were also carrying enchanted long swords.
Each of them carried Potions of Speed. This must have been why they kept giving us the runaround.
To the north we find one mercenary attempting to hide. At this point I realise I should do something about my wounds. The others start their assault on the last mercenary.
Alone, he is no match for us, and he dies quickly.
Rose wipes her blade as Cat licks the blood from his claws. As we catch our breath and begin to gather the spoils of battle, the distant melody of the temple’s choir reaches us, a stark contrast to the chaos we’ve just endured. Their leader retreated through the temple, perhaps we can still catch him. Rashel greets us as we enter the courtyard, pulling us out of the bloodied haze.
What kind of aid can I give you?
Rose: No, thank you, Rashel. Have a good day.
No luck here. Perhaps he is inside the temple. We enter and hear the usual choir singing the Song of the Morning. The sound of it seems to give Verr’Sza physical pain.
Aegon: I guess you don’t worship Lathander, hmm?
Verr’Sza: That’s like asking a goblin if it ever contemplated Sembian art, elf. Have you been drinking? Otherwise, I’m not sure why would you ask me such a ridiculous question.
I’m surprised they manage to make these females come and stay here. That’s not what they normally do. It must be some kind of influence from the Dawnmaster and his damned Morninglord.
Aegon: Hmm, do you worship a god, Verr’Sza? Sorry, but the culture of rakshasas isn’t well known among my people.
Verr’Sza: Fine, but do me a favour and get us out of this bloody temple once you satiate your hunger for information.
Most of us praise Ravanna, the King of the Rakshasas, but I’m not the most religious member of my society. I prefer to believe that I am the master of my own fate, rather than a bound servant of some dogma or creed. Actually, I prefer to stay away from followers with any religion.
Does he know I’m a cleric?
Aegon: This Ravanna – do you know anything else about him?
Verr’Sza: He is believed to have ten heads and is considered an unmatched warrior. Others say he can control powerful arcane energies. There are many tales about him, but I never truly paid great attention to them.
There, are you happy with all the information you got? Good. Let’s just leave this damned temple.
Before we leave Rose talks to Kelddath. He doesn’t seem to have seen, or even be aware of our attacker. He mustn’t have come into the temple proper.
We fulfill Verr’Sza’s wish and leave the temple. As soon as we do we are attacked by a ravenous war dog. Verr’Sza puts it down with a crossbow bolt.
I’m worried about Cat so I take a look at him. He seems badly hurt, constantly licking his wounds. I call upon Corellon’s power to heal him.
The sun’s warmth did little to dispel the chill in our bones as we left the temple behind. Rose led the way eastward, her halberd resting on her shoulder, while the rest of us exchanged wary glances. None of us spoke of the ambush, but its weight lingered.
The rising sun casts long shadows across the rocky plains. We are drawn to a small, unassuming cave nearby—a place that feels both haunted and strangely familiar.
I have come across this cave, and I had a sense of lingering dread at that time, a vision of our deaths. That feeling is gone now, perhaps because we are ready this time. I know that Rose is always up for a treasure hunt, so I suggest we explore the cave.
The cave was hiding a small collection of tombs. The foul odour of death and rotting flesh lingers in the musty air. The tomb feels unnaturally cold, as if it was meant to preserve something. I’m not sure if we want to find out what this is.
The others seem as bothered as I by the conditions here, Edwin more than most. He complains as is usually his wont, but I suggest he keep quiet. Verr’Sza doesn’t seem to care, which surprises me. I thought rakshasas had more sensitive noses, but he seemed more bothered by the temple choir than the stench of the tomb.
We enter a small chamber with a small stone coffin inside. I have Cat check the first coffin for traps before Rose searches it. Inside we find some gold coins.
As we walk the corridor I hear the constant hum of the Weave echoing down the corridor. Something magical is hiding in this tomb. I wonder if the others can hear it as well.
The tomb is protected by the dead. A zombie risen and his pet wolf now twisted with a bloodlust only seen in vampires lumber toward us.
Jaheira destroys what is left of the zombie, but the wolf is tenacious. Most of our weapons don’t hurt it at all.
We switch to using magical ammunition, and the wolf begins to burn.
Khalid finishes the beast off with an Arrow of Ice.
We find three more coffins. After Cat confirms there are no traps, we find a pearl necklace and a gem that seems very valuable inside.
Another zombie blocks our path, but it is easily destroyed.
There is a giant spider protecting the next chamber. Thinking it easy to fight we close in, only to see a spectral bear looming in the shadows. It’s form is blurred, as if it is half way between this and the ethereal plane.
Verr’Sza kills the spider, and the bear starts to swipe it’s heavy claws at Rose.
It slashes into Rose’s chest, not only opening another wound, but weakening her with it’s diseased claws.
Rose consumes a Potion of Extra Healing. Edwin, frustrated by Rose’s inability to defend herself, starts calling the Weave for help. He starts by launching Melf’s Fiery Missiles at the undead abomination.
I attempt to weaken the creature. It’s able to resist the effects of the Weave as it continues to tear into Rose.
Khalid rushes to protect Rose as the bear starts to dig its teeth into her flesh. It’s going to eat her if we’re not careful.
Edwin summons Melf’s Acid Arrow, but the beast flesh is barely scalded by the missile.
Rose consumes another Potion of Extra Healing, her wounds closing just as quickly as the bear reopens them. She doesn’t falter, even as the battle pushes her to the brink of collapse.
I summon a Spiritual Hammer and throw it toward the bear. The hammer returns to my hand after each strike.
Rose fights with unyielding determination, draining potion after potion to stave off death as the bear’s claws tear through her robes. Edwin prepares another effect from the Weave, this time a Chromatic Orb.
The Orb connects with the bear. Its fur starts to burn off with the acid from Edwin’s Arrow.
Verr’Sza draws his swords and rushes in to help Rose in the fight.
It won’t leave her alone, almost ripping her apart again. She reaches for another Potion.
Rose consumes another Potion of Extra Healing, her wounds closing just as quickly as the bear reopens them. Edwin’s frustration boils over as he unleashes a Chromatic Orb, searing the beast’s fur. Verr’Sza darts in, Kundane and short sword drawn, trying to draw the bear’s ire away from Rose.
The beast keeps tearing into Rose, but she doesn’t back down. It’s maw opens ready to bite into Rose’s skull, but she manages to force the Chesley Crusher through its throat and out of the back of its neck. Now in completely material form, the bear collapses.
Rose stares at the corpse for a moment, it’s jaw still open. She has to twist the halberd to pull it out of its neck. She’s taken a lot of punishment today, but has somehow managed to survive. Her persistence is something to be admired.
Jaheira’s last spell fizzles out. She was preparing to scorch it with the power of the sun. Her jaw tightens as she glances at Rose, her halberd drenched in spectral blood.
There is nothing else in this chamber, so Rose cleans her weapon and leads us deeper into the tomb. More zombies block our path.
We destroy them easily. Reaching the end of the corridor we find the final chamber blocked by three ethereal ghosts. Each of them looking exactly the same. The constant spell-weaving between them reveals this to be source of the sound echoing in the corridors here.
Torqion’s voice was a fractured whisper, echoing unnaturally in the cold air. It seemed to seep into our minds, each word heavy with sorrow and malice. Even Verr’Sza stiffened, his usual bravado momentarily subdued.
Aegon: I am Aegon and your – as you call it – ‘place’ is the talk of the whole town of Beregost. Why are you haunting here?
Torqion: I am one. But I am… Yeees, three… Touch, hearing and smell. There are three of us. That is my punishment. Punishment for the death… punishment… But I wanted nothing more than to destroy the evil. But the evil is stronger… And now I am one of the evil… one of them…
Aegon: Can you be more specific?
Torqion: A way… Help… Is Always. You were not terrified to enter this cave… you didn’t run away in madness… My torturers did not foresee this… There is a sword… A sword to the collection of vampire ideas for a revenge… Vampiric Sword… If you could possess it and bring it here as well as some holy water… I will walk away… Walk away… At last…
Aegon: I’ll help you. Just stop haunting…
Torqion: Whatever you want… Help me or kill me….
Verr’Sza growls queitly as we turn around. I think he’d prefer to just kill the specters. Something tells me that killing them won’t be so easy. We have to find this “Vampiric Sword” if we want to help them. They’re blocking the final chamber so we turn back down the corridor and leave the tomb.
I can’t seem to say no to anyone in need. Maybe it’s the years in Candlekeep, fetching scrolls and solving petty disputes for the various sages and mages that would pass through. Or maybe it’s something deeper—a compulsion to bring order to chaos, no matter the cost. I can’t help myself right now, so perhaps helping others is what’s keeping me going.
The sun was higher now, its light chasing away the tomb’s shadows but not the lingering unease. As we resumed our route toward the Firewine Bridge Ruins, I couldn’t help but feel the weight of the specter’s gaze, invisible yet ever-present. The Vampiric Sword awaits us, yet we know not where.
