33

Sneaking into Sunblight
Shadowing Olpha Muzgardt as she headed to dine with the Sunblight warlord, our party tip-toed through the mines outside Thizrun, working their way towards a water-logged escape path that led towards Xardorok's stronghold. The presence of chardalyn began to grow oppressive with its dust permeating the air and several duergar exhibiting extreme, physical crystal anomalies. While fording an underground river, Azgul nearly died. His patron Levistus spared him: monologuing that he was the one responsible for guiding him to Icewind Dale, chiding him for trying to create clones to subvert their contract, and compelling him to kill the duergar warlock. Soon after the party fended off a chardalyn bulette while cracking the riddle behind a dwarven door, gaining access to Xardorok's escape tunnel.

Secret entrance to Sunblight through the Mines of Thizrun

#ADuergarPlot The party took off into the mines bordering Thizrun, tailing Olpha Muzgardt as planned. Waiting for her convoy to pass by a checkpoint, the party then befuddled the guards using Gadget's stinking rock trick and some minor illusions. Chardalyn dust permeated the air of the mines as the rumbling of machinery twisted around in the dimly lit caverns. The party snuck by several working duergar miners, soldiers, and foremen, as well as bypassing a duergar who appeared to be in a dazed prayer at an alter.
#ADuergarPlot A water-logged passage was found on the outskirts of the mines. What began as a low pool of cavewater grew waist high as the source of the melt was found, rushing down a crevasse into the deep dark. Through a careful line of rope and frozen blockades established by Tetro as a wildshaped knuckledhead trout, as well as the use of Tensor's Floating Disc by Azgul, the bulk of the party made it safely across. Azgul, though, was caught in the rapids and swept over the side of the falls.
#ADuergarPlot #TheDevilYouKnow As Azgul grasped for footing, he felt a familiar darkness overcome him. His mind was no longer at the cavern's waterfall, but in the icy waters of Stygia, the fifth level of the Nine Hell, as his patron Levistus spoke directly to his mind. "Dear Azgul, so desperate for life. Let's reconnect, shall we? I've been watching you these last months. Have these northern lands and Netherese ruins delighted your interest? I hope they have. You may thank me later for leading you north... for sending you to Icewind Dale. Oh. Were you not aware? Of course it was I, the prince of frost and the shepherd of the lost, who guided you through the darkness. You have been up to so much since then, dear Azgul. Quite the hero you've become. Did you think you were fooling me, cutting your soul into thirds? It should interest you that one has died and thus two of you remain. But I digress, for it seems your current predicament lies in dire straits. Letting these icy waters carry you to your doom seems to be such a tragedy. The soul is yet ripe for the taking! While a lesser devil would let nature run its course, I am far too genteel to see a man of your stature drown so pathetically. So you will live, for today. But this gambit of mine will prove useful, yes. You see this duergar stronghold you near? I smell his rancid stench about it. I demand you end the duergar warlock within. Destroy his petulant mongrel."
-#ADuergarPlot Deeper into the mines, several duergar were found with full appendages crystallized by chardalyn, some dead and some alive. Like the chardalyn berserkers, the black ice embedded in these poor souls was volatile, oozing its corrupting presence and easily exploding with a high pitched shatter.
-#ADuergarPlot The escape route into Sunblight Fortress's throne room was found. Its door lay locked behind a dwarven passphrase puzzle. While the party tried their best to avoid attracting a lumbering chardalyn bulette, the beast eventually sensed them. Cracking the code and uttering the word THRESHOLD, the party tumbled into the open passage just as the bulette erupted into a beam of searing radiant light in its death throes.

XP

Total XP: 14301

500 ~ Entered Sunblight Fortress.

Loot