Four Fates Under the Southern Sun 3.5, Session 3

Start: Godsday (Tuesday) Midsummer 8, 401 GA

The party is escorted into the next room by the guard previously sent to retrieve a priest for them.

A plague hung over the doorway reading: DICTUM OF Halamakûr-Azod, Lord of Rivenport, Benefactor of All Peoples: ALL are welcome and guaranteed safety in the golden pearl of the Glimmer, Rivenport. However, those who challenge the order the Othok provide shall find our tongues speak the language of your kind, barbarity, and you shall find no lack of it, should you disturb the sacrosanct law of our land and our people.

The priest identified himself as Mentus Golhall, a priest of Horthenü. Emilia remembered Horthenü is the dwarven god of caverns, hidden secrets, and order. Following up on a sense about the dwarf she had, she surreptitiously cast some spells, and found his alignment to be Lawful Evil.

The dwarf beckoned them follow him through a portal. He was a bit dicey about the true nature of the portal, and waited for all to join him before stepping through himself.

They arrived in the questioning chamber, below the cathedral of Horthenü. It was a liminal space, void of windows and comfort, sporting just enough golden finery to be thoroughly uncomfortable.

A large tablet hung on the north side of the chamber decreeing: The Justice of Horthenü is for all, so decrees the Golden Trade Prince, Halamakûr-Azod, Lord of Rivenport, Benefactor of All Peoples.

The lord of this land appears to be fond of his own name, and making official edicts.

Mentus, the priest, appeared tense, as if he had a lot on his mind. Whatever it was, it was not important to him, it was simply something he had to check off a list.

The dwarf gestured to a gibbet-like cage fashioned on the west side of the chamber and questioned the party on whether or not the prisoner's claim about being a native of the Viszudar was correct. He very much seemed like he was going through the motions and doing his due diligence, even though he was quite sure of the answer. To his surprise, the party backed up the stranger's claim.

Mentus briefly began to question the party about the state of the Viszudar, and shortly after they realized he is definitely not someone who had good intentions, and probably should not have this informaton.

The prisoner, Ryardÿnin, skipped the introduction for now, until they had left Rivenport, to maintain appearances, but recognized none of his rescuers appeared to harbor malice towards him or be loyal to the dwarves.

Mentus began to speak of the prophecy, but the party had very few questions regarding the matter. Seeing their time was done, the dwarf transported them to the surface, and instructed them to come by conventional means and not to steal another boat if they wished to return. Perhaps through his magics he knew of their arrival, and wished to avoid a political incident. He seemed to know a -lot- more than many of the others the party have questioned so far.

The party was teleported outside of Rivenport to the western marshes. On foot they continued on to the Founder's Runestone.

Once they arrived, they read the inscription, which Ryardÿnin understood, as he is a student of magic.

The inscription read in Valnok "Spill the blood of the uncorrupt and the passage shall open."

The shrine itself bore a statue of Vollur, the god of war.

They quickly devised they must spill one of their own blood to enter the shrine. They did so.

Inside the crypt, they found it riddled with traps.

Past the first room, Praxis tampered with a suit of armor wielding a sword, and found it to be trapped with homunculi. The party fought off the homunculi. The sword appeared usable, and they took it. Moving along to the south, they avoided a few more traps and entered a chamber with a weighted bust of Vollur.

Capably solving the riddle, they spotted an opening blocked by organic matter. They investigated but quickly backtracked.

Following the only path they had not tread, they found a chest with a deactivated trap, perhaps thanks to solving the riddle.

During their escape, they were blocked off by creatures known as puppeteers. Using misdirection and brute strength, they persevered and exited the crypt.

XP: 713

End: 4 pm, Godsday (Tuesday) Midsummer 8, 401 GA