LASTHAVEN
Able speaks to Pyrrhos through the ring. Pyrrhos asks him how he got the ring, Able says he stole it. Pyrrhos then says “of course you did”. This establishes a brother dynamic of disappointment very early on.
Pyrrhos was able to read Able’s mind and knows his daughter is alive and safe. He agrees to leave the ring so long as he is raised from the dead. If we do not, he’ll haunt us.
Codex works on raising Pyrrhos from the dead. He is returned, but the Raise Dead has him weakened. Pyrrhos ask how he died, and Codex confesses that he was responsible. Codex explains the Artifact Dice and his decision to put Pyrrhos on the list.
Pyrrhos tells us that he is aware that the King is dead, because Sabre Khaludz put on the ring from time to time. Khaludz was suspicious of others reading his mind. Interestingly, Khaludz wasn’t involved in the King’s death, he strongly suspects it was the Crown Prince, but doesn’t know.
Pyrrhos wants to go to Kingston. He has information that the family needs for their safety.
He tells us some important information. First of all, we find out Talia’s original name, it was Talia Greenfangs. According to Pyrrhos, Talia
Donald Hilles is confirmed as a member of the Vecnan conspiracy. He was instrumental in the smuggling of metal from the Dwarven lands. He informed on Sabre Khaludz regarding Pyrrhos’ discovery of smuggling.
We find out that the saboteurs that destroyed the Everlife wall were Utopah Dayseeker Jr. and Sr, Donald Hilles Sr, and Avarte (who died) using explosives smuggled in by White Star.
Utopah Dayseeker Jr, Sr, and the wife are all part of the Vecna conspiracy. As is Donald Hilles Sr.
Surprisingly, Pyrrhos went to the wall to defend Everlife, prepared to die with his men. Michael found Pyrrhos, knocked him out, and sent him to Kingston rather than have Pyrrhos die. Pyrrhos wants Michael to go to Kingston to stand for his crime, though it’ll be a light sentence.
Some other interesting news. Both Demon mirrors were given to Sabre Khaludz by the Master, but one was stolen by Talia Hooks – she used it to harass smaller caravans heading to the Dwarven holds.
We then find out the Master can easily make Magic items, created by sacrificing sentient beings. We discover that the Master has a Throne, made from living Mind Flayers, that he uses to control others. The Drow and the Elder Brains have sent assassins against the Master, likely to retrieve this item.
We find out that the Orcs left because the Master was having difficulty controlling them, and enlisted the giants instead. The War Priest knows the Master’s name because they were working for the Master, for a time.
The Mercenaries are working for the Crown Duke, and under the protection of the Master.
The Master’s plan is to incite civil war and spread death and bloodshed, death fuels his power. He plans to grow in power and then enact his plan. We don’t know his plan.
That said, the Orcish War Priest (the shaman) has been in the Master’s head, and knows the Master’s name, but also may know the Master’s plan.
So we head to the Orcish encampment, to the condemned of Shargaz.
The entryway is guarded by 8 orcs, and two war wagons in the entrance. Codex uses Arcane Eye to scout out the area. There are a number of standards in the encampment, perhaps there are different clans within.
We head to the outside of the encampment - towards the Condemned of Shargaz, and are intercepted by a bat rider, one of the Condemned. He directs us to the Tent, and we head towards it.
This tent contains an orc, badly scarred (self inflicted), hairless. There are 4 marks on his head, from mind flayer tentacles. He looks abjectly insane.
Simon and Codex sit with him. The Priest recognizes Simon, as the one that rejected Gruumsh. He tells Simon that the Master fears us, knows us. Simon wants to know the name of the Master, and the Priest will give the name, but in exchange Simon must vow to burn the heart of the Master as an offering to Gruumsh.
Codex goes into his head, sees the Priest dragged in before the Master by Fire Giants. The priest tries to struggle, tries to kill himself, but the Master brings him back. He puts the Priest into a chair. Then the vision is similar to how the Elder Brain works, a constant presence.
There are two chairs, connected. They are living mind flayers, bound into the chairs – service to Vecna forever. The Master sits in one chair and the victim sits in another, turning them into mind slaves similar to the way Mind flayers do this to mortals.
The Master sacrificed his name and everything he is to Vecna in exchange for power. His name is Llewellyn Greenhallow. His name cannot be spoken aloud until it is time, until we are in his presence, and Vecna’s power he has will be weakened. Otherwise he wields the full power of a God, explaining why he is able to make magic items.
When the Master dies, those enslaved by the chair will be freed, and their madness will fade.
The Master is vain and very paranoid. He hides the scars of the chair, the mind flayer scars. And he resides in a cavern complex, and we must fight through Hill Giants, Frost Giants, and Fire Giants to get to him.
We retreat back to LastHaven, and make our way to bed.