Chapter 9 - The Fane of Tiamat

Caleb Teskerhill had described a landscape in his dreams. After Skull Gorge Bridge there is a pathway that heads towards what the hobgoblins called the Dragon Ears Pass, two rocky spires that rise above the otherwise rocky peaks. It was there they turned toward the Fane of Tiamat

A well trod dirt path steadily climbed toward the Dragons Ears eventually becoming a stone path way zigzagging up the mountainside. Cleary this was some sort of pilgrim's trail for the rocky path was worn smooth by the feet of countless pilgrims. The sort of landscape that makes one nervous.

Ahead,Nameroc scouted at an owl and heard the cantankerous exclamation.

"Tymora shits a steaming pile of luck! Right on my head," said the mysterious archer as he wheeled from behind cover to fire two arrows are the Blackspawn Raiders.

The raiders advanced as Nameroc shifted forms into a giant eagle, still unobserved (stealth roll nat 20). The rest of the party scurried up the switchbacks. Something about the voice seemed familiar to Zaila Fanter, Was it Jorr, the woodsman?

Thornewas first to get a shot at them, Green bipedal draconic creatures with massive downturned horns like those of a bull. They flung javelins at both Nameroc and Jorr Westwood.

As Thorne paused in his ascent firing into their well-armored hides, Pimzin Teabottle dashed between his legs, seeking cover where she could as she scurried towards Mr. Westwood. 

Zaila along with Bryllin Stoneheart found themselves engaged with raider flung from the trail above. They worked their magic, Bry transforming into a creature of fury and Zaila firing arrows from her magical bow.

As Pimzin approached Jorr, she slipped past the blackspawn raider. Jorr armed with two hand axes motioned her behind him even though she wanted to defend. Jorr was fighting a purely defensive battle at this point, but could not let the halfling remain in danger.

Nameroc struck, Zaila struck, Thorne struck and they fell. Below on the trail, Bry cleaved the final raider between the horns and and it too fell silent leaving only the cussing of Jorr and the delight of Pimzin at meeting an old friend.

Jorr, it seems, had been fighting a in the Witchwoods for the past few months using ranger skills and passing without trace from ambush to ambush. He watched as fanatical doe-eyed teens from the Cult of Secrets walked toward the mountain he was now climbing. He'd rescued a few, but there were hundreds, too many to nursemaid and still be alive.

So, he'd settled on a course of action... enter the Fane and destroy dragon lord within. He knew little of Azarr Kul, but was determined to stop him.

He showed them Chaotic Goldthe entrance with it's five-headed dragon carved from the face of a mountain and as they drew close, they were observed.

Five harmonic voices spoke demanding tribute

Foolish whelps! You dare draw near the slumber of Tiamat, Dragon Queen, the Mother of Monsters? This form has slumbered here from time before time began. It is an aspect of my majesty, but it pales in comparison to my true magnificent form!

Perhaps you bring offerings to appease my hunger? A gem that captures the sun's fury, a weapon forged in the fires of a god, a bow that will speaks oaths of vengeance, or blade carved from the moon's mantle,  - such things might earn you a moment of my consideration.

But be warned, mortals. Greed is a serpent that coils around even the bravest heart. Avarice can be a far more fearsome foe than any dragon. Choose wisely and do not try my patience… … The voice trails off in a five toned hiss….

Nameroc was certain he could show his tattoos and negotiate an agreement, after all his arms bore the mark of Tiamat, but as he approached with the Gem of Renneverate in hand from far above, a Dragon emerged, blue and fearsome.

All thought os tribute were lost as, Tyrgarun used a magic wand to send a fireball into their midst. Flames engulfed them, but as they cleared Nameroc attempted his polymorph spell to which the dragon waved his other claw in an arcane pattern, warding it away.

What he did not ward away was Thorne's arrows, "Swift death to my enemies" spoke the half-elf. As he loosed, a flurry of squirrels encircled the arrows, landed on the dragon and prying away scales allowed the arrows to pierce deeply into his flesh.

And at this the dragon let slip from the wall beginning his deadly strafing run.

"Zaila, insult that dragon," shouted Nameroc.

and Zaila Fanter, sang loud and strong:

Trouble, trouble, trouble,

I knew you were trouble when you walked in
So shame on me nah-ooww.
Flew me to places I'd never been
'Til Nameroc puts you down, oh, oh, oh

And as Nameroc spun his fists, a horrible toxic cloud filled the air around Tyragrun who spat and sputtered having failed his saving throw.

Pimzin was in overdrive, Flipping a coin into the air and catching it on the run she cast Beacon of Hope and a strange resolve filled the minds of all those present.

But it was the dragons turn now and Tyragrun, coming out of his dive lined up Zaila and Bry and spat lightning, arcing energy between the two. 

Bry, in her metal armor was nearly roasted, but between the spells of her companions and the insane amount of damage her body had taken she seemed unstoppable. Three insanely fast strokes cut through the air. The Axe of Dumathoin carving deep into the fleshly underbelly of Tyragrun.

And the Dragon fell against the mountain side.

Bry looked horrific. Strong, Demonic. Out of control. Insane. But she felt the presence of Pimzin and the beacon of hope brought her back to front he brink.

They awoke in the tiny hut, and carefully observed everything before exiting.  It was 2 a.m.

Bryllin Stoneheart took a few moment to seek an augury from the gods and for he work she learned much. Her eyes rolled back in her head for nearly 10 minutes and when she returned she imparted this knowledge:

The strange and terrible dragonspawn faced as part of the horde army were just the advance scouts of an even greater infernal host of devils, fiends, and Tiamat's spawn. Azarr Kul, the High Wyrmlord of the horde, was not present at Triboar for one simple yet terrible reason—he has remained in the Fane of Tiamat to complete a complex, month-long ritual to open a portal to Tiamat's court to augment the horde with an infernal army. If he succeeds, the horde will become all but unstoppable. The ritual will complete when the moon is next full.

When the ritual is complete, the barriers between the prime material plane and the first plane of Hell (Avernus) will be weakened, pierced at a particular place allowing a diabolical army to form in the Wyrmsmoke mountains.

The Fane consists of an outer and inner sanctum and requires both Doom Hand Priests, War Priests and Azarr Khul to complete.  All of these things are housed in the Fane..

Thorne approaches the imposing doors and speaks the draconic words, “Hail Tiamat, Devourer of Worlds and Scourge of Hell," knocks and the repeats the phrase again.  He presses his shoulder against the door, the devilish motif and it gives away as he shoves.... The dragons sigh.

Pimzin invokes duplicity and another Pimzin appears, winking at them. She disappears into the darkness running her fingers along the wall.  At the end of the hallway there is another set of double doors and the party advances.

Entering, the rectangular room, it is awash in a riot of color. Five exquisitely sculpted stone dragon heads protrude from the center of the ceiling, and in each of their open maws burns a different colored jet of fire-blue, red, green, black, and white. The polished stone floor reflects the light and amplifies it. Iron doors to the east and west each bear the image of a red clawed hand. To the north, a double door carries the same icon. The ceiling is twenty feet high, and two balconies in the north wall overlook the room at a height of ten feet.

But worse - Zombie Wyvern's flank the doors and engage.  Thorne move into the room and takes shots at them... but as he does notices another entity in an alcove, hiding. He shifts his focus there. it is on of Abashai of the Fane.  Zaila Fanter enters carrying the moonblade which begins to sing in the presence of the devil. It feels lighter in her hands, and then she remembers the belt of giant strength she now wears.

Too keep the draconic zombie off of Thorne she engages it as does Bryllin Stoneheart who begins her rage, hacking at the dead flesh of the undead creature.

Nameroc notices the room has monsters on both sides and invokes a wall of fire to bisect the room. This allows them to deal with 1/2 of the battle field at a time and is scorches the second wyvern badly.

The first Abashai cast hold person on Thorne and he fails his save frozen, he stops with one hand reaching for an arrow. Pimzin Prime springs into action and dispels this effect and Thorne continues. With the battle field divided the battle ends quicklyl

As they recover and plan, there is a discussion. do we push forward, or secure the flanks.

They knew three things. There was a ritual ceremony taking place inside this mountain called the Fane of Tiamat. The ritual takes one lunar month to complete, and the moon was nearly full and once completed the ritual would open a rift between the prime material plane and the first plane of Hell, Avernus.

Put simply, time was not on their side and this was the enemy hive.

The architecture suggested a straight approach and they followed the stairs downward into heart of the Fane knowingly passing by side passages leaving them unexplored. 

And so it was the came to the unholy chapel, candles glowing in the now familiar five colors of this sect. Blue, green, red, white and yellow, they illuminated a gruesome scene of sacrifice, for it was here that the Children of the Secret, those poor gullible teenagers met their fate. Robe lay strewn across an alter, bones and skulls, cracked open for the soft delicious bits inside littered the floors. Blood, too much blood.

The wyverns slipped from their perches and attacked, but not unnoticed.

Zaila's Moonblade slipped from its sheath, vibrating with excitement as swung with deadly accuracy. Now has she hit, the belt of giant strength cut deep into the flesh of the wyverns.

Bryllin's mithril thrower found a target, but Babe, the Axe of Dumathoin, was in her hands before the magical thrower returned. From that point on she hack and slashed at first one wyvern and then another

Thorne and his Oathbow sank arrows deep into the flesh of the wyvern who clambered about the room half in flight and half skipping across the floors. At times Zephyr Winds lifted him, placing him in another spot for tactical advantage. At times, phantom squirrels danced around the arrow, subtly guiding the shafts into critical spots.

Pimzin supported the party, but in this encounter the wyvern never got a solid hit so she resorted to the "Toll of the Dead" cantrip to bring them down.

But it was Nameroc, the druid who dominated the battlefield, for he pulled 7 sharp thorns from his robes and held them between his fingers, contorting his hand. In response a patch of spikes shot up, dividing the battlefield and ripping at the flesh of those creatures foolish enough to  attempt to navigate the growth.  Round after round, he moved the patch for best advantage and before long all five wyvern were gone.

And they paused.... 

While time was of the essence no other way forward was seen. It was Zaila, with the Moonblade still in hand who noticed the door first. While the whole room was gruesomely bloody, there was a spot on the wall stained by the repeated placement of a bloody red hand... and this released a secret door.  Cool air rushed forth. 

Down a narrow passage they pushed, Bryllin Stoneheart in the lead and Jorr Westwood at the tail.  In this way the found a cave with nesting Greenspan Razorfiends, the very fiends they had defeated in the Ruins of Rhest, these three were all that survived and they engaged them with two surprises.

The first was Regiaraxthe Black, a dragon they knew to be a coward from the Ruins of Rhest and the second was the wily bard Ulwai Stormcaller who had eluded Chaotic Gold twice and was even now eluding them, apparently invisible, but casting insults and inspirations left and right. It seemed that both defended the ritual

As the other engaged the razorfiends with arrow, sword and axe, Nameroc cast Polymorph on the black dragon, but they heard the sing-song voice of the enemy bard react, "Don't worry Scales, even the mightiest dragons can learn a new tune! Resist the magic and we'll turn this fight into a ballad for the ages!" -- he saved of course.

Nameroc wiped out a wand of fireballs and hit the dragon and two of the razorfiends as the others continued their slicing and dicing. 

And the arrows and axes continued, until it was Ulwai's she shimmered into view with a glib casting of a spell. 

"Looks like you three need a hand... or, several! Evard's Black Tentacles, arise and take command!" And the Nameroc, Zaila and Bry felt the crushing necrotic touch of the tentacle trap them.

Bry was undeterred and hacked dow the first razor fiend just as Thorne dropped another.

Pimzin, from the back cast a spell of Banishment on Regeriax the black and this time he popped from existence on the prime material plane to another. She furrowed her brow and stepped behind Jorr Westwood knowing that if she maintained here concentration the Dragon could not return.

Zaila seethed with anger, but was unable to reach the evil bard who ducked around the corner.

And there we paused the session.