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The world seemed to stand still for a bit after the Planar Beacon was switched off. The last few days had been extremely full, from defending the Stonehill Inn from the undead attacking it, meeting Effie and Arya, to driving off the cultists from Leilon. And now, this.
For the first time in a week there was suddenly no impending threat, no challenge to face. And as such the five scattered around the town to tend to smaller duties and interests.
Idris spent much of his time in the Shrine of Lathander helping the survivors of the petrification with his knowledge of medicine, Pine dropping in to hand his disease nullifying amulet to Rhogar Merrygold and Effie to perform some healing magic. Siax also went by, curious to see if any of the survivors could have had ties with Thalivar or the Enclave Of The Evergreen.
Only four survivors remained, being kept unconscious to let their bodies and minds rest. The cracks were the stone had weathered had turned into deep wounds that riveted across their bodies.
- One of the humans was wearing nondescript farming clothing seemingly settlers of a previous attempt to take back Leilon.
- Another wore leather armor that seemed worn, perhaps an adventurer down on their luck or bandit.
- A third human, a man with long black hair caught his eye as around his neck there was a clasp with two snake like creatures at each end.
- Finally the Dwarf stood out as the sheer volume of her red hair filled the area she was lying in. Her clothing looked extremely expensive and luxurious.
Unsure of what to do next The Leilon...Some? discussed what they knew was still needed to be done.
- Pinchwith Wigglehoof was preparing for a trading trips with Phandalin, Axeholm and perhaps even Neverwinter, likely ready in 2-3 days. She was looking for help with protecting the caravan.
- Sovendahl Erkinze, apparently a high ranking member of the Cult of Talos was amenable to discussion but to find him the party had to go to the Storm Lord's Teeth, a location where the cult emerged from to raid passing ships. To do so however they needed a map, special lenses and likely a boat captain willing to risk the journey.
- Finally the patrol sent into the swamp by the Leilon Guard was supposed to make contact tomorrow. Corporal Vester Jessup was leading this patrol. The decision was made to go into the swamp first and meet up with them part way instead of waiting for their arrival.
Until it was time to leave everyone wandered around the town doing small tasks.
Siax sought out Falcon, finding that the older ranger had already corralled over some young settles teaching them how to use the bow. They shared some words about what happened in the tower and promised to join the old ranger for an archery lesson next morning. Siax also decided to go to the Idol Islands via a barge. In the Barge Yard he found Rorsta, the barge master working on a crane with the help of Factoré and Effie. The normally taciturn dwarf relented that Siax could use the barge as it was only a short trip and returned to supervise the work.
On the island Siax found ruins, obviously in the same style of the elven ruins he had seen before but in a decayed and destroyed state. While attempting to decipher their meaning he fell asleep and had odd dreams of a gigantic city, it's height impossible to grasp. There were trees and greenery everywhere, thousands of elves walking to and fro. This was unlike any elven settlement he knew of. He eventually woke up hours later, with night having fallen. Somewhat exhausted but feeling inspired to uncover what his dream meant he return to Leilon to rest and then join the archery lesson.
Pine goes to put souls to rest. He finds the process the smoothest so far, sensing that the souls really do want to pass. After the process was done he felt a bit rejuvenated. He warned the others that he did not trust Aubrey Silverspun but it was too late, the group was enamored.
Arya goes to look for the mysterious Aubrey Silverspun and finds him. She goes in, finds him inside peering into a crystal not noticing her entrance. Looking around she saw that Aubrey’s Peculiarities Shoppe was full of stuff, most of it trash but some of it interesting. There was some Fae symbols of power on a spoon meaning 'food', a stick that could turn into a snake, and an acorn about the size of Siax's head that could instantly turn into a tree. She also spotted a small statue of a figure of a male humanoid with a ferocious twisted expression. She spoke to Aubrey for a while finding out that he knew a bit about multiplanar travel. She could tell he was a learned wizard of some sort but he did seem quite unfocused at times. He knew about the Planar Beacon but apart from being sad about what had occurred didn't divulge much else. While she didn't buy anything Aubrey Silverspun gifted her with an amber comb, said to draw lighting away from the user.
Idris headed to the construct Gallio Elibro asking him if he knew how to stabilise his sword. He did not but was able to cast a ritual that could reveal such for 400gp. Finding the price a bit too high Idris left and attempted to find Aubrey’s Peculiarities Shoppe but instead finding only rubble. He spent a few hours clearing up the area uncovering another one of the murals shattered chunks. He also found a small amulet with an exaggerated grinning face that Aubrey later confirmed is definitely cursed. On the next day he tried to find Aubrey’s Peculiarities Shoppe again but this time with Arya's assistance. AGain he could not see it but when she pointed it out it was right there infront of him. A long discussion occurred with the shopkeeper, who claimed his sword could not be stabilized but he'd buy it off him instead, but eventually resulting in a trade for a bag of colding, the exact thing needed to properly maintain the white Dragon egg Idris had carried with him for so long. He traded the small doll that was in factore's shape and the odd powder he had found, making the item only cost 100gp.
Effie found Factoré working in the Barge Yard and asked her to identify the magical items the group had found. The ring she had taken was a ring of spell storing and she was even able to convince Arya to imbue it with a fire spell.
Factore identifies the following items:
Item | Who took it |
| Belt of Dwarvenkind | |
| Bag of Holding | |
| Ring of Spell Storing | |
| Scroll of Planar Binding | |
| Scroll of Summon Greater Demon | Idris |
Wand of Magic Detection | Group Loot |
The trip to Mere Of Dead Men wasn't too arduous. Skirting the egdes of the swamp meant they were traversing land that wasn't too waterlogged so could go quickly. Making it to an area that seemed to have been the guards campsite not long ago they found signs of a struggle. Idris shouts out in loud volume for guards with no response. Siax looks and finds tracks heading to the south, guard boots but also Lizardfolk tracks and a single unbroken line that Idris assured everyone that was from a Bullet Worm (No such thing exists). Pinecould sense dead that way so the party rushed forward, Effie slightly back and hidden.
And indeed, they come to find that Leilon Guards were under attack by lizardfolk, dead bodies from both sides floating in the still waters. The party fell upon the Lizardfolk like a hammer falls unto a nail, Pine's aura disintegrating several of the creatures. Such was the might of the party that even when Idris commanded them to hold back, as he heard the chief of the Lizardfolk saying that they should be fighting with them not against them, the Lizardfolk were all destroyed, one killed by one the guards disobeying Idris's command.
Outraged in a manner not seen often in the Paladin he yelled at the guards, eventually creating a zone of truth and commanding them to submit to it. He then asked them to tell him again, who they were. Vester Jessup, annoyance on her face, stepped forward and told him that she of course was... and her dagger flashed past the Paladins armor and into his side. The guards features started shimmering, now being uncovered as Doppelgangers. She told Idris "We know where you're sister is, first we kill you, then we kill her!"
It is sometimes astounding how small decisions change the world around us. If The Leilon...Some? had decided to wait in the town for the guards who knows if their true nature would have been uncovered. What could their plans have been once they had successfully infiltrated our small community? Perhaps they had pages and pages of plans that now, thankfully, will never come to fruition. Perhaps the only way they would have been uncovered would have been through terse and paranoia filled investigations and.... Well, their schemes now uncovered a fight to the death awaits. And all the while I wonder, where are the real guards?