The Three Faces of Evil, Part 4

Edit: These are posts I made back in 2005-2006 and have now transferred them here.

• Tyrrich – Elven, Rogue 1, Warlock 3 (male).
• Garrett – Gnome, Druid 4 (male).
• Cullen – Elven, Monk 4 (male).
• Roma - Half Orc, Rogue 2, Barbarian 1, Fighter 1 (male).
• Janna – Human, Cleric 4 (Wee Jas) (female).

After thoroughly searching the labyrinth, the heroes head back to the Hextor temple to retrieve the treasure they stashed in one of the rooms. As they enter the temple Garrett notices that the great bronze doors are open and that he could have sworn they were closed when they left. He brings this to the attention of the rest of the group and they agree. Cautiously the heroes move through the temple to collect their treasure but do not encounter any resistance. Perplexed the party moves their stuff over to the Vecna labyrinth and sets up a watch schedule to rest.

After resting the group continues to explore the doors leading out of the labyrinth and see that it opens up into a corridor very different in architecture and design from the labyrinth. There are strange bumps on the walls, black and white tiles on the floor, and pillars with misty colors swirling around in them.

Roma steps forward cautiously to investigate with Tyrrich not far behind him. They come to an opening to a long narrow room. At the other end of this room is an altar with 2 figures in hooded robes attending to it. Roma seems relieved that he has not caught their attention, but that is quickly changed when a spectral figure comes through a nearby wall to attack his intrusion. The commotion also brings the hooded acolytes into the fray. Janna tries to scare the specter away with her divine influence but the unholy aura of the place is insurmountable to her faith.

The heroes are doing well having dealt with 1 acolyte and causing the specter to withdraw, however at that point in walks a figure dressed in ornate robes and wearing a plain mask, they can only assume this is the Faceless One. He sends more acolytes to delay the heroes as he summons a giant centipede. After a bitter struggle and an exchange of blows the heroes emerge victorious and the Faceless One is killed. When that happens there is a slight rumbling throughout the cavern. The adventurers search the Faceless One's laboratory and find a code book that they were looking for to translate the letter found in the Hextor temple.

The heroes return to the Black Cathedral room where they notice that the thick black ichor is slightly churning in the dark pool. The heroes relate this change to the rumble they felt earlier.

They spend some time translating the letter and discover that this dark pool is where the Ebon Aspect is to be summoned and any disturbance to the temples will bring forth the Aspect earlier albeit weaker. There are also traces of mistrust between the temples.

As the group is loading their gear onto the elevator a note is discovered tucked inside the lift. The note is from Thedrick to the Faceless One explaining how his followers had found him and released him from his death and the same heretics will slay him soon. He also goes on to say that none of it matter because they will be "forever trapped beneath the surface of the earth". Cullen, not believing a word of the note, starts to pull on the elevator chain to ascend the mineshaft. When he does this there is a loud explosion and a rumble above them. Tyrrich is quick to respond and starts to move their gear off the lift. Everyone clears the elevator just in time to see rock and chain come crashing down on the elevator, smashing it to bits and filling the room with dust and debris.

End of chapter 10.