Part 37: Secret Wizard Business

Previously on Thule…

Alena loses her life to the many hell hounds which Mahin somehow survives. Ezra dashes around touching things. While this happens the wizard finally performs some magic and does things. A potion was poured into Alena’s mouth, she regains consciousness but is immobile on the ground. With a sudden movement, Arcandur strikes the door and a loud gong echoes through the lobby.

Now on Thule…

Ezra requests Mahin to find out what Arcandur is doing, while he kneels beside Alena. He takes his knife and places it in Alena’s hand. Taking a deep breath and stabs himself deeply and heals Alena (17 points) while taking damage (17 points) in a life force transfer. Alena gasps and looks down to see the knife in her hand stabbing Ezra. Pulling out the knife, she quickly heals him (12 points) and herself (11 points).

As the healing occurs, Arcandur and Mahin keep pressing the rune hoping for a reaction or to summon the witch. Finally, another door appears, and a wizard enters the lobby. Arcandur tries to fool him with what has occurred in the room littered with dead hell hounds. After staring at Arcandur, he shakes his head and says that he knows that he is lying. Mahin steps forward and explains that while they’ve come here for magical knowledge, other than touching the doors, and the hell hounds attacking, they have no idea what has happened. The wizard explains of Felicia, one of the circle, has changed over the past few years. That she is gathering her own powers and that the black milk may be tied to her. That the reality of this world and another are being drawn together by dark and terrible forces.

Arcandur stares at the wizard, finally asking him what he is going to help them stop her and her quest towards darkness. The wizard says that he needs help in opening the door and finding a wizard to help him in this process. To turns to Arcandur and says that his help is required. Explaining that he needs the wards removed as he opens the door, Arcandur agrees to help. However, with the use of this final spell Arcandur will be spent. A moments hesitation in Arcandur’s final decision as to whether they will proceed through the door or leave this challenge for a later time. Alena raises her head and speaks finally.

“If we are going to die, we might as well die knowing who keeps trying to kill us”, she doesn’t look at anyone of them as she makes this statement.

And with that statement, the magic casters begin their spell work. A handle for the door appears, and with a quick glance for traps, she grabs the handle and pulls. The door opens into a darkened large stone space, decorated sparsely with fittings becoming of an ill-used room. Mahin begins checking the room for traps, moving towards the altar slowly. Arcandur and his cat enter the room cautiously. The rooms temperature is cool, and yet not cold. Arcandur is unable to discern the magic of the room, he does discover that the room is appearing in multiple dimensions. The party examines the room further, hoping to gain further insight but not wanting to move deeper into the space.

Arcandur and the cat move in sync around the room, examining it further. Mahin keeps checking for traps but is unable to detect anything. Arcandur finds the black milk powder and a scroll, which he picks up to view better. It is a note:

“Lord of the Old Ones, Appearing in the likeness of a man. Of greater than average height, And having no face; All praise to Thee!

Brother of Azathoth, Enduring its heat. The Eater of Souls, All praise to Thee!

When there is sardonic laughter, Then there will be dead. O Myriad-Formed Messenger, All praise to Thee!”

Arcandur tries to determine the meaning of the letter but is unable to decipher it. Mahin also tries to decipher the meaning of the poem, however cannot find anything more than Arcandur. Mahin calls to Ezra to use his ‘god’ connection to learn more. Ezra is affronted by this lack of understanding of his god and beliefs but examines the note and finds nothing further to add. The party turns to view the room and sees the tapestry covering the opposite wall, they all stop in their tracks absorbed by the image.

Ezra snaps to first and begins to collect vials of potions, he takes them from the room to the mage outside to ask his opinion on the matters at hand. Mahin examines the room further for secret doors and hidden passages but finds nothing. Mahin comments on how the wizard disappeared suddenly, and wonders at her passage. Continuing her examination, Mahin uncovers pots that resemble the ones from the boat and places her head next to the pot to see if she can hear movement. Ezra and the wizard how has assisted them in entering the chamber, examines what he found and exclaims disgust at her connection to the black milk. Ezra suddenly remembers the scroll and dashes back to get it, bringing it to the wizard. Unfortunately, the wizard is unable to shed light upon the topic.

Mahin is unable to hear anything from the pot and decides to rattle it. From her rattling, she hears nothing. However, the pot beside her begins to make slithering noise. Mahin cries at that there is something moving inside the pot. Ezra and Mahin decide to move the pot outside and try to lift it carefully. As they begin to lift it, Mahin stumbles and drops her side and the lid falls off with a loud clang. Her fearlessness pays off as she looks inside the pot and finds a note. Reaching down to grab it she finds:

“I’m praying before the Black Pyramid. Would that I had the power to summon HIM! Or, if not, to command His spawn To be of this festering planet rid... They would be ebon-cloaked before the boss, Blocking the sun like a cancerous horde To serve the darkest and most noble Lord Nyarlathotep, Messenger of Chaos!”

Arcandur awakens from his ritual seeking magic. He finds nothing other than a faint aura of magic on everything but the items on the altar. Arcandur moves towards the altar and collects items that he believes may have knowledge or value later. He examines the notes again, with this new knowledge. He tells the others of the great old ones and the crawling chaos. He knows that in the past people have venerated the dark pharaoh and the cults that have surrounded him. The death and destruction they reign down upon humanity is documented well throughout the histories of the land. Arcandur turns again to the tapestry and tries to convince Mahin that these will be worth a great fortune. Ezra asks Alena to help carry the pot out to the wizard, and Alena moves gingerly towards the pot. Though she tries, she finds herself unable to help much. Arcandur and Mahin settle on a tapestry to take with them.

With a clatter, the lid from the pot falls to the ground and a snake slithers onto the ground between them.

-COMBAT BEGINS-

Cat – Attacking with the claws on the snake (missing)

Snake – Begins to dance (Alena & Arcandur succeed), and strikes at the mesmerised Ezra (9 points damage)

Alena – Missing twice, and finally connecting with the snake (12 points damage)

Ezra - Mesmerised

Mahin – Mesmerised

Arcandur – Casting acid arrow (missing)

Cat – Withdrawal

Snake – Begins to dance (Alena. Arcandur & Ezra succeed), and strikes at Alena (missing)

Alena – Slashing at the snake connecting all three strikes (17 points damage – steel, 7 points damage)

Ezra – Striking at the snake (43 points damage – steel) NATURAL 20 and absorbing 7 points of health from the snake and begins to transform into the snake creature before them.

SNAKE DEAD

-COMBAT ENDS-

Alena finally looks around the room and advises that its been months since these rooms have been used. Thinking about the unknown owner of the room, Alena heads to the wizard outside and asks him whether there is a portrait in the guild of Felicia. He wanders off to the library and brings back with him:

Asking further about her age and her history, being elven her life is long lived. The old wizard is unable to provide much information, as he seems both uncaring and as though he is uncertain of their questioning. Arcandur asks about her frequent locations in the library and the old wizard takes them to a section on communication and charms. The old wizard talks of how she was one of the best in communicating over vast distances. Arcandur and his cat seek to find long black hairs amongst the many books. The cat uncovers several books with her hairs. Arcandur gathers these up and returns to Felicia’s chambers. He approaches the altar and tries to locate more strands of her or personal belongings. The cat finds more hair laying across the altar. Arcandur gathers this all together and asks for the portrait and notes to be brought to him. Ezra brings Arcandur the required articles. Arcandur begins stretching and seeking in his pack for the magical chalice. Casting a spell to seek their seeker, he drains his own blood into the chalice and begins the ritual.

Peering into the cup, Arcandur begins his vision into the place where Felicia exists. Arcandur sees her surrounded by gilded furniture in obvious luxury. A bed covered in silks and silk cushions and beside it Felicia is working on potions at a table. Using magical stone, she appears to be boiling substances which Arcandur cannot make out. Suddenly a frown comes over her face. Looking around the room, she stands and moves towards the door peering out to see if someone has walked past. She moves to the window to peer out upon the city, and with this Arcandur looks for landmarks to find her location. Moving quickly to the chest into the room she pulls out a crystal ball and Arcandur’s vision goes black.

Arcandur places the items in his pouch and exits the chamber to speak to the wizard, muttering “You are mine now”. Asking the wizard about the location he saw; the wizard says that the jail is the large landmark that he saw when he was piercing the veil. Using Alena’s skills for navigation, Arcandur determines the most likely location of their target: the noble area. He asks the party whether they concur with his deductions, they agree. He does tell them that she knows that someone was looking for her. Ezra points out that she has found them before. Turning to the wizard, Ezra asks for further protection. The wizard cannot help the, but he does give them a map of the city to help them on their quest.

The librarian wizard finally wanders out and advises them to come back tomorrow for their requested information. Joking about waking up the wrong wizard and telling them not to touch the wrong rune in case they wake out the black milk riddled wizards.

Leaving Arcandur to head back into the library, the rest of the party head to an Elven Branch to rest and recover from their day and prepare for tomorrow.