“Renwick! “We’re back!”
Guo Gan and Scomatch entered a landing with stairs going down. The room was a comfortable size. There were three large tables covered with all manner of objects. Broken stone and refuse were in the corners and along the wall. It was hard to tell, but it seemed bones were mixed in. Whether it was humanoid or animal it was difficult to tell. Entering the room there was a thick, malevolent presence in the air, which had an almost physical manifestation.
The robed figure in regal finery and bright red robes straightened and turned in his chair. Renwick wasn’t human, but an undead creature of the nether world, a lich. He was gaunt and skeletal with withered flesh stretched paper-thin across horribly visible bones, with its entire skull and front of his face heavily tattooed. Eyes, the color of hard-boiled eggs, filled its eye sockets. He closed a book he was reading and set it down. Rising, he moved towards Guo Gan and Scomatch. The lich glided as if floating on water.
“Delighted to see you, AGAIN! Welcome adventurers. I’ve been expecting YOU! How did your adventures go?” Renwick asked in a haunting, hollow voice emphasizing certain words.
“So much to tell you about. Amazing things,” Guo Gan said.
“Such as?”
“We defeated the brown earth cultist and their mandusa leader, Marlos Urnrayle. Then we had an adventure under White Plume Mountain and Keratis’ House of Fun. We paid a visit to the Spiral and defeated the yellow air cultist and their leader Thurl Merroska. A bunch of mouth breathers, if I do say so myself. We discovered the Dark Council chamber and visited the purple cultist led by the human Qhaarlex. He had a dragonfly craft called a spacejammer named Damselfly-”
“Space Ghost,” Scomatch interrupted Guo Gan.
“Yes, re-named Space Ghost,” Guo Gan clarified.
Renwick leaned closer to Scomatch. “You seem changed from before.”
“My friend was changed to a goblin,” Guo Gan said.
“Goblin, you say? I don’t see color, only BONE STRUCTURE, which seems intact,” Renwick said. “Who has done this to you?”
“The Dragon of the Woods. The Great Green Dragon. Queen of the goblins,” Scomatch replied.
“What sort of spell was it?”
“I couldn’t tell you.”
“And you’re a wizard? Did you somehow put yourself under her POWER!?”
“I was negotiating a transaction.”
“How did it go?” Renwick asked.
“Well, I got turned into a goblin and she got godhood.”
Clearing his throat, Guo Gan explained, “The Green Dragon of the North took on a role she didn’t want, to save the world. To prevent unspeakable horrors from the Far Realm from pouring in and devouring everything. We thought it best to give it to someone who didn’t want it or compete for it. She put herself at great risk to accept the role.”
Touching his hand to his chin, Renwick said, “I’ll put the goblins over in the evil column now. A pity, they got along with the dwarves SO WELL! I dare say there could have been peace in your time.”
“What about me?” Scomatch asked.
“Are you evil?”
“No.”
“Then I’ll put you in the neutral column,” Renwick replied. “So, what will you do now?”
“We wait for the solstice to come where the planets align and hope the world will be safe, if not, the world will rift and unspeakable horrors will come in,” Guo Gan said.
“Indeed, so you adventurers are free to go on a little expedition for me?” Renwick inquired.
“We’d love to help,” Guo Gain said.
“I require a sea-going vessel, which I believe you are in the position of. There is something on a nearby island called Gligan’s Isle that I would like to see if you could recover. It seems now is the time to send a random group of adventurers there. On the island, there is a hermitage. I would like you to recover my dead brother’s body, SYRGAUL! With Strassha, the Water Princess weakened, I can perceive and scry my brother’s corpse there. He was once a pirate, low these hundred years ago, but his corpse was NEVER RECOVERED! So, sit right back and you'll hear a tale of a fateful trip that started from this tropic port, aboard a tiny ship. Five passengers set sail that day, for a three-hour tour, a THREE-HOUR TOUR! The weather started getting rough, the tiny ship was tossed. The ship went aground there on the shores of Gligan’s isle. The only thing on that isle was coconuts, so they soon turned on each other and ATE ONE ANOTHER!”
“Your brother? If we find the remains, do they need to be intact?” Guo Gan asked.
“I only need a portion, but as much as you can obtain would be beneficial.”
“What if we find him alive?” Scomatch asked.
“If ALIVE!? That would be MAGNIFICENT, but he was killed, so I’d be surprised if he was alive,” Renwick said.
Scomatch asked, “What benefit do we get out of this?”
“Returning my brother would be A BENEFIT TO ALL!” Renwick exclaimed.
“Of course. Such a wonderful chat. Scomatch, anything you’d like to add?” Guo Gan inquired.
“Nope.”
“Then be off with you AND RETURN MY BROTHER!” Renwick said and with a gesture, an invisible force pulled Guo Gan and Scomatch out of the room. The door slammed shut!
* * *
The party returned to the cultist Dark Council Chamber after traveling down the 1,576 stairs through the Temple of Ogremach and the portal in the crystal caverns under the Sacred Stone Monastery.
The cultist gathering place didn’t look any different, but something was off. The debris from the massive round table that 9 of 5 smashed into was moved aside. The ashes from the creatures Vanifer summoned were disturbed, but there was no breeze in the room. It seemed that it was possibly due to someone coming from the portals. The disturbances were most prevalent at the Black, Red, Blue, and White Portal.
“All right, convince me why we are helping this lich,” Kai said as he stood before the Blue Portal.
“It’d be A BENEFIT TO ALL!” the goblin Scomatch mocked Renwick’s words waving his hands.
“The stronghold of the Blue cultists is on Gligan’s Isle. Shatterkeel and captain of the Howling Hatred is likely there. Then exact justice on him as he is likely behind killing our captain, Quint Halfbeard, and possibly has his soul trapped in a gem,” Guo Gan explained.
“And…”
“And, with Shatterkeel’s defeat and possibly capture of the heavily armed Howling Hatred, we’d become the dominate pirates in the area,” Guo Gan said.
Gripping his trident Wave tightly, Kai said, “Let’s go get our captain.”
Kildo pulled out the ring of keys and turned them until he held the blue one. Inserting it in an angled short, stone pillar next to the doorway, Kildo turned. Power hummed and radiated from the entrance and glowed an azure blue. Kai, Guo Gan, and Scomatch entered. Breathing in deeply, he walked through Immediately, he was knocked off his feet, and water pushed him along a slanted slope at a fast pace. A ledge was quickly coming up. Throwing out his hands, he found nothing but smooth surfaces. He went over. His stomach lurched into his lungs. A vast pool was quickly approaching. Snapping his nose shut with his fingers, his body stung as it slapped the water. He went under. Kicking, he emerged on the surface. Looking up, he had just been pushed through a rapid waterfall. There was no easy way to get back up, which held the portal. The water was about twenty feet deep and cushioned his fall. The cavernous room was circular, with stairs not too far away traversing around the room and out. Swimming over, he sat a few stairs up to get out of the cold water. There was a small rowboat tethered to the stairway. He saw the rest of the group swimming and exploring the area. He would have shouted to the group, but the waterfall would have shredded his words.
Seemingly finding no other useful exits, the party joined Kildo on the stairs and made their way up. Entering a room, the walls had stone carvings of merchants leading trains of mules and what seemed like giant lizards overflowing with goods. Kildo touched the artwork, it was old, very old, as the stonework was faded and worn. There was a door in the northern section of the room. Opening it, a long hallway lay before them. The floor was slick with mildew and moss. More faded, ancient artwork. The path turned east and then back north into a large empty room. Some debris littered the area, but otherwise, it was barren. Doorways continued east as well as south.
Moving toward the eastern door, the party gathered to enter. Pushing the stone door open, it entered a massive room. In the center, gently flowing water moved around the middle section and cut vertically with a twenty-foot bridge. On the northern half was a stone table with torches providing light. To the south were pillars flaking an altar with the glint of a few gold coins. Five thick, muscular lizard folk standing closer to seven feet tall than six, held spiked shields and clubs. They were a cross between the burliest of barbarians and the viciousness of a dragon. Their scales were deep green and striped with black and red lines down their body. Their razor-sharp teeth were surprisingly gleaned white and clean despite being carnivores by nature, which consisted of freshly killed meat. Their large yellow eyes, surrounded with black face paint, had vertical slits for pupils, which were wider as they appeared confused at the party’s entrance. They screamed in their guttural and freakish language.
“Hold the bridge Guo Gan!” Kai ordered.
A bright streak flashed in the room and landed amid the lizard folk. A fireball from Scomatch engulfed three turning their bodies into charred husks. The other two burned but avoided the bulk as they ducked behind their shields. They rushed to engage Guo Gan at the end of the bridge brandishing their spiked clubs.
Kai rushed in. Issuing a horrendous war cry that reverberated throughout the room. It was as if the god of the sea had emerged. The lizard folk took a step back at the triton’s presence. However, the paladin slipped on the slick floor. Wave flew from his hands and went clanging to the ground.
All eyes watched as the trident bounced and finally came to rest after a few seconds. Kai slowly walked over and picked up the weapon a few feet away. The two lizard folk growled.
“Oh well. Death it is,” Kai said and planted himself at the bridge. One lizard folk charged. Bracing Wave, it impaled itself on the three barbs. Desperate, its companion swung and missed Kai as the paladin moved the corpse in front of himself acting as a shield. The last lizard folk’s spiked club sunk deep into the back of the impaled lizard folk.
A multitude of bubbles began popping from the water near the bridge. The surface bulged as a demonic monstrosity emerged. Easily eight feet tall, it resembled a toad in humanoid form, but with arms and hands instead of forelegs. It had a wide maw filled with rows of sharp teeth with a series of long spikes running down its back. It stood on two powerful legs. It was a hezrou.
Turning to the party, it belched out a guttural demon croak. Splits, tears in reality began to form. Dog-like creatures with squat, rounded bodies standing four feet tall pushed through. Their skin was a sickening pale green with the texture of rubber. Their eyes were slanted downwards, their noses squashed and nothing more than gaping holes, and their ears were pointed standing out to the side. Mouths agape and slobbering, they held small fangs inside with sharp, black claws off their hands and feet. They were detches.
As the battle raged, Kildo heard a door open behind him to the south. The commotion alerted others. “Life is death, death is rebirth, rebirth is life,” Kildo chanted as he cast, Spirit Guardians. A low, rhythmic pulsing began to emanate from the ground. White light came from cracks in the stone. Fog rolled out approximately fifteen feet from the cleric. Small wisps of air arched out. Longer tendrils began to form. He moved into the doorway to become a living barrier. Enemies from ahead or behind would be hard-pressed to get through him unharmed. He then cast, Spiritual Weapon. A mystical blue war hammer formed next to the hezrou. It smashed into its back but bounced off its rubbery skin.
Turning at the emerging demon, Guo Gan bashed his sentient green quarterstaff Qiekamis. It smashed into the creature’s head. Coming back around, the back end whiffed past, striking air. However, the hezrou reeled as if it had been struck.
Surrounded by enemies, Scomatch Thunderfire did the only thing he could. He vanished and appeared far to the south across the bridge. However, in his wake, a thunderous echo boomed. Three of the closest detche’s heads exploded, as blood erupted from the last lizard folk. It slumped to the ground and into the water. The blast also affected Kai and Guo Gan as they attempted to protect their ears.
“Scomatch!” Kai yelled, as his head darted around the room. The paladin seemed disoriented. He then surprisingly dashed westwards past the detche, who swiped at him with their claws, ran past Kildo, and continued southwards.
“Kai! Where are you going?” Guo Gan shouted, as one of the dog demons jumped onto the monk’s back and bit his shoulder. The Hezrou also slashed with its claws raking the wood elf’s leg. Flipping the creature over his shoulder, the monk rammed Qiekamis into its head. Brain and ichor splattered outwards. Spinning the quarterstaff over his head, it bashed into the arm of the hezrou.
To the south, Kildo saw a group of humans run toward him and Kai. Four were armed with shark-tooth covered blades with a small shield. Unarmored, their skin had a blue tint and scales were seen along their chest and shoulders. Whether these were tattoos or actual fish scales was hard to determine. Behind them were two humans, but their skin was aqua, like the sea. Their black hair was braided in cornrows with shells woven in. Barnacles, like warts, were growing out across their bare-chested forms. They had a long skirt made entirely of seaweed strips, a conch shell tied to a thick leather belt, and a blue crystal in the center appearing like a Kraken eye. Webbed hands held a long staff with an ornate, brass head. They were Crushing Wave Priests.
The first cultist charged Kildo. His spirit guardians thrust like spears impaling and killing him instantly. Glancing over his shoulder into the eastern room where the other battle raged, his spiritual weapon swiped and missed the hezrou due to his divided attention. Casting Toll the Dead, a dolorous bell rang around the demon frog.
Kai lunged with Wave and skewered another cultist warrior. He kicked off the corpse and readied his trident for the other two attackers. Slashing with their shark-tooth swords, the paladin parried both, knocking off a couple of teeth in the process.
The two Crushing Wave Priests began casting. A shard of ice formed into a knife in front of him. The missile weapon sailed and struck Kai. It shattered upon impact, but the blow was felt.
“Hold!” shouted the other priest at Kai. However, the paladin pushed through the paralyzing effect, like an unseen barrier.
Swinging Qiekamis in wide arcs to keep the numerous detche at bay, as well as the hezrou, Guo Gan yelled, “Scomatch, anytime you want to kill everything!”
A bright steak sailed towards the monk. The world around him erupted in fire as Scomatch cast a fireball from the other side of the bridge. The remaining demon-dog yelped and howled in pain as their skin was covered in flames. Running in all directions, they quickly collapsed, leaving nothing but their burning corpses. Half of the hezrou’s face was blackened by the flames.
While surviving the fireball, it didn’t survive what came next. Qiekamis came batting outwards and bashing into the toad’s weakened skull. The quarterstaff sent blood, ichor, and charred flesh flying. The hezrou’s dead body bubbled and sank under the waves.
At the doorway, Kildo shielded his eyes from the halfling’s fireball. Continuing to hold the door with his spirit guardians, the dwarf was surprised as Kai shook his head and charged south past the two Crushing Wave Priests. Seemingly just as surprised as the cleric, they swiped with their staffs but missed the paladin. Turning back towards the dwarf, the pair began casting.
“Kill the blasphemer!” bellowed one of the cultist priests pointing to Kildo. The two crushing wave fighters charged without hesitation or fear into Kildo’s spirit guardians. The cultists were skewered and their bodies blasted by radiant damage. They died where they stood.
“Hold!” screamed the priest seeing the two fall.
Throwing up his shield, Kildo felt a tightening grip around his entire body as the magic tried to take hold. Taking a step, he pushed through the restrictive magic. However, he heard a ‘whistling’ sound right before three bright glowing magical missiles whipped around his defenses and impacted his neither region. His eyes bulged in surprise. “Me taint!”
Growling in anger, Kildo charged the two. Swinging with his war hammer, it bashed into the cultist priest. He then barreled forward with his kite shield, connecting hard. It knocked the cultist to the ground.
Rising, the two priests cast. Six magical missiles darted toward Kildo. Attempting to throw his shield in their way, the magical force went around and blasted into the dwarf from different angles. Grunting, he maintained concentration on his spirit guardians as they also continued to inflict radiant damage on the Crashing Wave Priests. Both parties were taking as good as they were getting.
Two daggers flew over Kildo’s head and impacted the second cultist priest. Glancing over his shoulder, Guo Gan rushed to the cleric’s aid.
The two priests began casting. A bitter chill encompassed the room. There was a crackling sound as the moist stone floor began to ice over. Kildo could feel his heavy boots start to slide. Three more magic missiles whistled toward him. They slammed into his leg. In less than a blink of an eye, the dwarf was on his backside. His concentration was broken. The spirit guardians evaporated into the air. Attempting to stand, he summoned his spiritual weapon into the room. The spectral blue war hammer smashed into the face of the first Crushing Wave Priest. He went down hard to the icy ground and didn’t rise. Back on his feet, Kildo swiped with his normal war hammer. It smashed into the cultist’s shoulder. Plowing forward with his shield, it pushed the scaled human back. He failed to maintain his footing as he slipped on his own sleet storm, icy spell.
“Whoooo- Whaaaaaa!” Guo Gan came flying into the room and through the air. His foot smashed into the throat of the downed priest. Bringing Qiekamis’s end thrusting down, it blasted into the cultist’s face. Blood splattered outwards. However, a moment later, there was a sucking sound as the sentient quarterstaff drew in and absorbed the ichor.
The threats of the lizard-like creatures in the eastern room and the cultists in the western room dealt with, Kai rejoined the party from the south and Scomatch from the east.
“Where did you run off to?” Guo Gan asked.
“I thought I heard something. Turned out to be nothing,” Kai sheepishly said.
“I be seeing them cultist come from that room to the south. Might be worth checking out,” Kildo said.
The party eagerly moved towards the room, hoping to find some treasure.
“Dwarf, ya coming?” Guo Gan called out. “You’re walking like you got a quarterstaff up your back-side.”
Kildo’s gate was a little slower than normal, walking semi-bo-legged from the magic missile attacks to his nether region. Tenderly adjusting his chain mail over his thick, leather pants, Kildo grumbled, “Why is it that it seems everything today has involved things going up me bum.”
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