Everyone played, you got 1580 xp each.

AG 18 continues their exploration of the banewarrens, in search of the Sword of Lies and the sealing rod. They began by trying to figure out how to get the silver dragon, who was encased in glass, out of his prison. Exploring the area, no way to free the dragon was discovered, however the ever-present banewarrens vaults were not in short supply. Many of the vaults had been opened and plundered already. Some were not empty and AG-18 had to deal with a winery elemental and a pack of specters. Soon they also discovered a profane temple inhabited by a vampire lord and his wight minions. Having dealt with these creatures and sanctifying the vampires crypt, the group rested for a night.

It is now the 15th of Wind.

Items gained:

Swift-step boots

Symbol of Demon-Turning +3

Everyone but Symba played. You got 1525 xp each.

In this session AG-18 continued their exploration of the inner vaults of the Banewarrens. The inner vaults were converted into a prison and lair by dreadlords more powerful servants. The group was nearly ambushed by a group of wights and their commander. These undead were servants of the Dreadlord and continue to defend the inner vaults as if no time has passed. Forging deeper into the dungeon, the group encountered the jailer of the prison, who had become a lich, and his two skeletal guardians. Dispatching these creatures, the group was able to recover the lich’s magic items from his previous life. Exploring further AG-18 discovered a silver Dragon trapped in a glass floor, and a large area where the dungeon appeared to have been destroyed by some kind of magical catastrophe. The magical conflagration appeared to be inhabited by Slaad.

Treasure gained:

• Cloak a Resistance +3
• Targeting Bow +3
• Staff of Fiery Might +3

At the end of this session, it is the 14th of wind.

At the end of this session, it is the 13 of Wind.

Everyone played but Cheava. Cheava was played as an NPC so he gets half xp. Cheava gets 746 xp. Everyone else gets 1680 xp. (I think that’s slightly higher than the amount I gave you last week.)

Ag 18 continued their pursuit of the Pactlord team lead by the Beholder. They emerged into the the room with the Vault Door leading t0 the inner vaults of the Banewarrens to discover a battered and broken “Gary.” Gary told the group that the Pactlords had passed through the Vault door, but he had managed to close it afterwards. Ag 18 used the banewarrens key to open the vault and prepared to face the pactlords. When the Vault opened, “Gary” shape shifted into an Orge Mage! The Beholder and his 2 wyverns attacked from their hidden spot near the ceiling. (Thanking the adventurers for opening the inner vaults and laughing like Jabba the Hutt.)

Despite disintegrations and death rays, AG 18 was able to prevail over the pactlords. Rather than venture deeper into the warrens the group decided to rest and check the vaults they had passed by in their pursuit of the beholder. They discovered a suit of armor haunted by an ancient evil warlord, a skull that allows communication with evil gods, a particularly strong poison, the hand of a lich,a disk that disintegrates both target and user, and a knife that turns anyone killed by in into a Vairgoulle.

The group then ventured into the Inner Vaults, expecting the worst. The very first room was inhabited by a pair of black puddings which were dispatched with some difficulty.

Everyone played and you got 1250 Xp each.

You have one outstanding quest from Jevica Norr of the Inverted Pyramid. She has offered to pay you 5000 gp each to discover how to seal up the Banewarrens forever. (With the recovery of the dagger, Yaelsha from the pactlords and the information from Gary the metal man, you have probably completed this.)

Apostle, Symba, and Yark informed the church of Lothian about Brother Heth and his involvement with the Pactlords. Thr church has asked you to recover the “Sword of Lies” from the Banewarrens. The church believes that the sword of lies is actually the sword of truth, a powerful artifact of Lothian. The sword is rumored to be stored in the inner vaults of the Banewarrens. The church offered to pay you 20,000 gp to recover the sword.

While all this was going on, you had left Gary the metal man with the Shuul to be repaired. Once he was repaired, he took it upon himself to return to his duties in the Banewarrens, despite the Shuul’s opinions to the contrary. Gary returned to the Banewarrens with the Shuul not far behind. When they reached the Banewarrens they were set upon by a new group of Pactlords, led by a Beholder. You found out about all this mostly from the horrendous amount of gunfire that occurred when the Shuul encountered the Beholder.

AG 18 investigated and discovered that the Pactlords have captured Gary and are going to attempt the penetrate the inner vaults. You followed the pactlords deeper into the Banewarrens encountering Wisps, Gorillons, and firelasher elementals, before having to stop and rest.

Everyone played in this session.

You received 1590 XP each. That includes the quest xp for finding the Banewarrens key.

You received another quest in the session. Jevica Norr would like you to continue to investigate the banewarrens and hopefully find the pieces of the staff of shards as well as the sealing rod so the Banewarrens can be sealed permanently. She would like to meet with you in a week see what you have found out. She offered to pay you 5000 gp each depending on how much progress you make.

You negotiated with Navanna Vladaam for her freedom. She agreed to tell you where Cheva’s sister was, to write a writ that will get the watch off your back and as an added incentive not to kill her, “other information that pertains to the banewarrens.” She would only provide this last bit of info after she was let free.

Cheava’s sister, according to Navanna, is being held in the Dark Reliquary. Lilith, the succubus, thinks she knows some important information.

Cheva and Symba proceeded to mull this over at the Ghostly Minstrel while the rest of the group went to Rivergate to discuss the Banewarrans key with Brother Heth.

Navanna was true to her word and provided some important information to Cheva. Brother Heth is actually a member of the Pactlords of Quan, and is seeking the Banewarrens key for himself.

Rushing out the door, Cheva and Symba arrived just in time to help the rest of the group fight of a group of pactlords that attacked them at the rivergate temple.

Investigating the temple further you discoverd that it had been used as a base of operations by the pactlords. Ultimately you confronted Brother Heth, a Naga, and a Basilisk in the Belfrey of the temple. The belfrey had been converted into some kind of lab with 2 choasitech machines.

After defeating the pactlords, you discovered that Heth had a magical dagger that spoke to you. The dagger is one of the 3 pieces of the staff of shards. (The dagger has a much longer story to tell but that will be in the next session.)

The Swords of Ptolus are very pleased by the recent turn of events. All three swords are happy that the Pactlords (at least this group) has been defeated. The swords consider the pactlords “invaders” to Ptolus.

Power liked the heroic “nick-of-time” rescue of your comrades. (Power likes to be heroic and deeat enemeies)

Insight likes that fact that you have found both the banewarrens key and a piece of the staff of shards. (Insight likes to discover secrets.)

Deceit is pleased that you are using it to hide the banewarrens key, which is much desired by many people at this point. (Deceit likes to keep things hidden.)

The swords are now providing the following additional powers.

Insight now adds +2 to Will Defense instead of +1. You may also now use the “Consult Oracle” ritual once per day instead of the “Consult Mystic Sages” Ritual.

Power now adds +2 to fortitude Defense instead of +1. Once per day power will give you an additional action just as if you had spent an action point.

Deceit now adds +2 to reflex Defense instead of +1. Deciet also now had the following daily power.

• Move Action
• Teleport 5 Squares and become invisible till the start of you next turn.

Everyone but Symba gets 1098 xp each. Symba gets 488 since he was played as an NPC.

You decided to go ahead and kill Navanna Vladaam, at least temporarily, since that seemed the easiest way to carry her around without her teleporting away. You discverd that Navanna had been speaking to Geristranomos, a clockwork man. Geristranomos had been built by Danar to perform maintenance on the Banewarrens. During the earthquake that created the spire, he was trapped in the room you found him. “Geri” knows a lot about the Banewarrens so you decided to take him with you.

Continuing you exploration you encountered mechanical scorpions in one of the vaults and recovered quite a trove of evil magic weapons. On the way out you defeated a second team from the Pactlords of Quan who were searching the Banewarrens, now that the outer vaults have been opened.

You placed Navanna’s body in a trunk, preserved with gentl repose and stored the trunk at Castle Shard. Zavere seemed highly amused by this and promised to look after the trunk for you.

You rested for the night and it is now the 8th of Wind.

The magic weapons you took to the Dark Market sell for 720 gp total.

Game Time: 6th and 7th of Wind

Everyone played in this session you received 1135 XP each.

Regrouping at the pythoness house, AG 18 immediately set out to track down Nicalon, who had stolen the Hand of Danar, which is the key to the Banewarrens.

Cheva and Yarkblar went back to the Griffon, where you had first met Nicalon. He was nowhere to be found but the watch showed up asking about AG18 and a break-in at the Vladaam estate.

Thinking Nicalon might have used to key to enter the Banewarrens or more likely sold it to someone who did, Cheava and Symba went to check on Kalrecent, the Paladin, and his squire who were guarding the sealed door in the Banewarrens.

Unfortunately, someone had returned to the Banwarrens. Kalrecent and his squire were dead and Kalrecent appeared to have his brain eaten out. Most likely by a mindflayer.

Raising the squire from the dead, you discovered that a group of monsters, including a mind-flayer, an ogre, spiders, and “spider people” had attacked them. During the fight, a woman with dark skin and four werewolves had used the key and slipped through the door. Seems like another group of Pactlords are trying to get into the sealed door.

Entering the Banewarrens past the sealed door, you encountered numerous traps and many of the banewarrens guardians. Moving through the warrens and using tracking, you were able to determine that the pactlords came and left, leaving a gnoll and dire ape to guard the entrance, but the woman and werewolves had pushed further into the dungeon.

You discovered the woman, who turned out to be Navanna Vladaam, conversing with someone or something in one of the rooms deep in the Warrens. You were noticed by the werewolves before you could discover anymore. During the fight, a green hag appeared and grabbed the key away from Navanna. AG18 was able to defeat the Hag, as well as Navanna and her werewolves. As Cheva prepared to finish off Navanna once and for all she said she knew where his sister was located.

You finally have the banewarrens key and two different people willing to pay you for it. Jevica Nor of the Inverted Pyramid wants you to find they key, though she didn’t necessarily say that she wanted it. You suspect that she wants you to find the sealing rod and reseal the banewarrens. Right now your only lead is that the sealing rod is somewhere deeper in the Banewarrens.

Brother Heth, of the church of Lothian, wanted you to find the key and bring it to him. Most likely to keep it away from anyone who would use it to unseal the warrens further. Unfortunately, the Banewarrens are now unsealed.

1338 xp each.

Everyone but Symba played.

In this session the group had quite a few leads to follow-up.

You have, for now, convinced Phon to stay in the Chapel of St. Gustov in Midtown with Brother Fabitor.

You were able to contact Naven Blueflight, owner of the Pythoness house. He stated that he would give the house to whoever could beat him in a game of Dragonscales.

• Dragonscales
• Int based skill
• Can gain a +2 by playing regularly in taverns and bars.
• Can use a feat to gain a +5.
• To beat Naven is a Skill Challenge, you must pass 5 Dragonscales skill checks before failing three to defeat him.

You traveled back down to the Banewarrens and read the scroll given to you by Brother Heth. Brother Heth is the head priest of the Lothian temple in Rivergate. After reading the scroll you discovered that the sealed door can only be opened by Danner himself, the creator of the Banewarrens. House Vladaam has his mummified hand, though they do not realize that this is what it is for.

You contacted Nicalon Regelis, a member of the Knights of the Chord, and former enforcer of House Vladaam. He told you that he had seen such an item in the vaults below the main house in the nobles quarter and that he would lead you to it.

In the house, you encountered many traps, and fought some of the house guards but managed to recover the mummified hand. While escaping you encountered some of the urban werewolves that are allied with House Vladaam led by a fearsome were-tiger. In the ensuing combat, Nicalon pilfered the hand and teleported away. Why he did this is not known.

You managed two rescue two prisoners from the dungeons below the house.

• Thariad Rivelost is a Half-Elf commoner. He might be willing to work for you at the pythoness house.

• Degar Ravenspell is a 5th Level Wizard and is willing to help you in whatever way he can. Currently, he needs to recover from being tortured by the Vladaams.

Everyone but Elanna played you got 1900 XP each.

Also everyone gets an extra 183 xp. I forgot to give you the XP for the traps in the last adventure.

In this session the group tracked Phon back to the Surgeon in the Shadows Lair in the sewers of Ptolus. After fighting through Shader-Kai guards and 2 horrific chaositech monstrosities, AG18 faced the Surgeon himself. The Surgeon proved to be a very tough opponent who teleported after fighting the adventurers to a standstill. The group was able to rescue Phon and return with her to the city.

Unfortunately, this leave a few unanswered questions:

How was Shilukar involved? Was someone trying to kill Phon again or was he simply taking revenge on the group? And how did Shilukar survive anyway?

Everyone played and you received 620 XP each.

In this session, the adventurers finished up their exploration of the breached area of the Banewarrens. The group found Kalrecnt, the paladin of Lothian, hiding in one of the rooms. He had been investigating reports of underground digging and monsters in the area. He had fought that same group of Pactlords that AG18 had dispatched in the last session. Kalrecent and his squire had attacked them when the pactlord attempted to gain entry to the large banewarrens vault door. Kalrecent was able to shut the vault door and fend off the Pactlord however his squire was killed in the process and a medusa slipped through the vault door and deeper into the Banewarrens.

The group took Kalrecent and his dead squire back to Brother Fabitor at the temple of Lothian in Midtown. After hearing the story and raising Kalrecent Squire, Bother Fabitor asked you to come to the main Lothian Temple and report to the head preists about the Banewarrens.

The priests (and one mage) of Lothian listened to the group’s report. They are very concerned about the openign of the Banewarrens. They have asked AG18 to head back to the Banewarrens and read a ritual divination scroll near the vault door to see what can be found out about the Banewarrens. QUEST ( I believe they agreed to pay you 2000 gp for this.)

The group had also been retained by Jevicca Nor of the inverted pyramid to investigate if the Banewarrens had been opened and who opened it. The answers being “yes” and “it was the Pactlords.” Jevicca wants the Banewarrens resealed, but that’s easier said than done. See says there is a key somewhere in Ptolus that will open the Banewarrens vault door. For right now, she simply wants the group to find this key. She also said that yes, the Banewarrens can be resealed. To do this, the group has to find the sealing rod. QUEST (Jevica will create you a 2000gp magic item or give you a 2000gp discount on a more expensive item.)

Using Ptolus Knowledge, Streetwise, and Insight the group discovered all the following:

• House Vladaam has the Banewarrens Key
• The sealing rod was in the possession of Malkith when he was destroyed, it may very well be deeper in the Banewarrens.
• Nicalon Regelis, a member of the “Knight of the Chord” is a former House Vladdaam Enforcer and may be able to help you get the key from the Vladaam’s.

• A number of the group reasons to not like house Vladaam for other reasons. Exploiting those will earn bonus xp.

Before the group could act on an of these leads, Apostle received a note.

“I hope your friend enjoys her trip to the Surgeon. – Shilukar”

Apostle quickly discovered that her friend Phon Quartermain is missing. Through judicious use of streetwise, the group was able to surmise that she has probably been taken to the “Surgeon in the Shadows,” a choaitech surgeon. The surgeon in the shadows implants chaositech in peopel for a fee. It’s also rumored that man of his “customers” are unwilling and he is simply using them for Chaositech experiments. In any case, with Shilukar involved, (wasn’t he dead?) it’s unlikely Phon went to the surgeon herself. The surgeons lair is rumored to be in the sewers underneath Ptolus. Rescuing Phon is also a Quest

The swords of Ptolus are providing more abilities now.

Deceit can change into a ranged weapon or back into a melee weapon once per day. Deceit raised it’s reflex bonus from +1 to +2.

Power raised it’s Fortitude Bonus from +1 to +2.

Insight raised it’s Will Bonus from +1 to +2.