Eyre 19th, Zor, 998 Y.K. (continued)
2.30 p.m.
As the wrappings to the Dragonshard are slowly peeled back, and the beams of light from its highly polished form, there is a great creaking and groaning sound from the rocks deep within and below the headland. Small rocks are loosened from the walls and ceiling, splashing into the water around the group as the earth begins to tremor. From the tunnel that apparently leads out to open water, white waves crash through with ever increasing force, the tide is turning, it will not be long before this cave begins to fill with water.
With the preference of facing the perilous sea rather than heading back through the tunnels the group begin to discuss ways of determining how long the tunnel is and how they will be able to fight the turbulent waters. Finally it is decided that Anvil, without the need to breathe, should head as far down the tunnel as he can, Ajax ties 100 ft. of rope around the warforged's waist and he braves the crashing water as he pushes against the tide. Buffeted and battered the warforged soon comes to the end of the rope, and with more tunnel ahead than behind he decides to return to the group. They make a unanimous decision to head back through the tunnels as the falling rocks are getting bigger and the structure of the cave is in question.
They run back through the lake cavern, as they watch there are dark shapes swimming quickly through the water to the great whirlpool. The stone walkways between the great pillars are collapsing and indeed the pillars themselves threaten to bring the cavern ceiling down on the group.
They press on through to the tunnel that emerges at the cliff face, with hopes of escaping via that route, once more fearful of the journey through a trembling underground complex, but they find the route to be impassable due to collapse. The only way out now is the way that they came, and that journey to the surface will take at least two hours......
The party press on with haste.
The ground continues to tremble and the ceiling can not support itself in places making travel precarious to say the least, but eventually they reach the main shaft. Looking down into the darkness and eyeing the narrow metal walkway that clings precariously to the walls of an unfathomably deep pit, the group begin to cautiously head upwards. The walkway creaks and groans under their combined weight, but it is the occasional falling rock that causes them the greatest concern.
Eventually they pass the Slave levels and as they look below, with a final and massive, ear-splitting crack, the shaft beneath them slides to one side as the fault in the bedrock is realised. Smoke, steam and red hot metamorphosed rock sizzles beneath the party and they push on up the shaft, past the entrances to the kobold villages where guards resolutely stand to prevent any access, muttered words in draconic imply their feeeling that the party is a curse uopn this place. There is no time to argue the point, the group need to reach the safety of the surface.
6.00 p.m.
Once they reach the lighthouse, Anvil checks the buildings integrity as they feel that they should stay here for the evening to make sure that nothing comes for the shard. He finds that the building seems to have been built to withstand any such geological movement and that the tower to the lighthouse seems to have been here substantially longer than the attached home. The tremors have not returned since the final shift in the headland, but the group are still on high alert.
Outside there is a raging storm brewing out to sea, across the waters black storm clouds thicken, almost unnaturally so. As you watch, the first drops of rain begin to fall, accompanied by distant flashes of lightning across the sea, white peaks crown the dark slate-grey waves, as the sea begins to swell violently the rain falls heavier.
Anvil heads up the tower with the dragonshard and after a few calculations and close observation of the shard he manages to find the perfect method of positioning the sahrd in its mounting, and in a few short moments the lighthouse is restored after months of being inactive.
As he glances out to sea, Anvil notices that upon the white foamy spray, there are occasional patches of a ruddy pink that grow into large patches of blood red; an occasional blue-green body can be seen drifting through the storm wracked waters.
With the use of the spyglass the bodies can be seen to be sahuagin.
As the evening passes, the storm continues to rage outside and the group fall into the now familiar routine of setting camp and watches, taking some time to relax in a less hostile environment.
11.00 p.m.
As most of the party sleep, Anvil and Ajax take watch, peering through the thick glass windows into the hostile, stormy night. They see figures walking uncomfortably along the path from Bluescar. As they watch they can make out over thrity of the figures, all bearing tridents, crossbows or nets.
They come to a halt perhaps a hundred feet from the lighthouse and cautiously ready their weapons. Anvil opens the front door and begins to try and parley with the strange fish-men, the rest of the party are awakened and quickly prepare themselves for combat. As they await a response from the sahuagin they hear a soft and gentle voice from behind them within the lighthouse, "Please, close the door."
As they turn the party are face with the spectral figure of a woman.
A strange shimmering in the air announces the arrival of a shape, little more than a white diaphanous sheet billowing in some unknown wind. It has a strange attractiveness about it, and as the sheet moves you can perceive beneath it a lithe female form, like an elf or human woman. The edges of the sheet billow up, hinting at but never giving a clearer view of the figure that writhes beyond.
The figure speaks to the party.
"Do not concern yourselves with the threat outside, they will soon be dead."
As the group turn to look out of the window, through the gale they can make out several more of these spectral figures sweeping through the sahuagin ranks, as they come into contact with the aquatic humanoids they simply slump to the ground, in moments the entire sahuagin force is dead and the incorporeal creatures slip silently into the earth.
Ajax is the first to question the ghostly figure, asking who she is.
They are given the following cryptic information:
- We are a part of the Pale Night, birthed from the ancient Mother.
- You are most fortunate to witness the gates opening, but this is not where you should be. Leave now and beware the things that crawl.
- You have more yet to do, things of greater importance.
- Elsewhere Zionyn has opened its gates.
- The darkness has seen you, it will be always watching.
- A scion of Death has returned to mend the broken line.
- The white deceiver will soon be free, bringing both peace and strife.
- The sleeper shall awaken and death shall reign in his shadow.
- Twelve shall become thirteen once more.
They are told that they have borne witness to the beginnings of a war that will once more shatter the peace of Eberron, and that they fight for the simple matter of choosing to exist.
Once the creature has finished speaking with the group it urges them to leave now, as this is not where they are supposed to be and this is not their battle. It tells them that there is a mist out to sea and that they need to pass before it reaches the shore before she slowly slips into the earth once more.
*Ajax comments
Ajax's attention span, never the greatest, is exhausted by the ghost woman. Particularly as she isn't touching on any of the subjects he has an interest in (money, glory, women or alcohol). He drifts off confident Anvil will remember all this and remind him if it becomes important.
*Ajax comments
Ajax's attention span, never the greatest, is exhausted by the ghost woman. Particularly as she isn't touching on any of the subjects he has an interest in (money, glory, women or alcohol). He drifts off confident Anvil will remember all this and remind him if it becomes important.
Looking out to sea the companions can indeed see that there is a gentle blue glow emanating from distant waters and a fog bank that seems impervious to the gale-force winds.
The group take heed of the ghosts words and pack their things together before moving out into the dark and stormy night.
They leave the lighthouse, passing over the fallen sahuagin, cursory checks are performed to see if they were carrying anything of worth, but nothing is found. Ajax takes a moment to see how they died and to his surprise it seems that they are not actually dead. After a breif word with Lorric it becomes apparent that these creatures can not live out of water for any length of time and that they will likely be dead before sunrise.
The group press on into Bluescar.
As they reach the dead village they come across signs of battle, it seems that sahuagin were killing each other and the battle has spilled onto the shore, the glowing blue mist is rapidly approaching the shore line and as the party start their journey out of the valley that houses Bluescar they see the mist begin to creep between the buildings, many figures shamble out of the sea close behind, undead judging by their ungainly movements. Following the undead a force of sahuagin, numbering well over fifty nervously glance around, remaining in the choppy waters. As the group watch more of the ghostly shapes can be seen sweeping through the sahuagin ranks, leaving them prone and subject to the crashing waves.
Without hesitation the Crimson Fist leave the cursed village and push on through the night, their destination is Gullsnest.
