The Three Faces of Evil, Part 7

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

• Tyrrich – Elven, Rogue 1, Warlock 4 (male).
• Garrett – Gnome, Druid 5 (male).
• Cullen – Elven, Monk 5 (male).
• Roma - Half Orc, Rogue 2, Barbarian 1, Fighter 2 (male).
• Janna – Human, Cleric 5 (Wee Jas) (female).

The heroes made their way quietly up the slopes of the cavern to where the Grimlock guards sat unaware. As the group engaged the Grimlocks they noticed more Grimlocks further down the cavern had come to join the battle. After they defeated the mob they searched the large room and determined it was the living area for the Grimlocks.

Next the adventurers moved down a long winding cavern until it opened up into another large cavern. Across a 10 foot deep chasm, some of the group could see a loan figure sitting hunched over and transfixed by a fire. As the heroes moved in to better assess the creature, they were flanked by more Grimlocks armed with longspears. At that point the creature across the chasm gestured and the room was enveloped in a thick mist.

The battle waged on as Garrett summoned a giant bat to battle whatever was in the mist as the rest of the group fought off the Grimlocks on either side of them. Some of the Grimlocks jumped down into the chasm to use their longspears to attack the group up on the narrow ledge.

The hunched figure emerged from the mist covered in bat blood. The creature was actually a Grimlock prophet who had sewn beholder eyes in the normally vacant Grimlock eye sockets. He stared at them with a crazed grin on his face, and started casting spells. Garrett summoned another bat to distract the prophet as the rest of the group thinned out some of the Grimlock guardians. Eventually Roma and the Grimlock prophet battled toe-to-toe where the prophet did put up a good fight but was inevitably cut down. Soon after the prophet died the ground began to violently shake and shift from deep within the earth but eventually tapered off to a dull, constant rumble.

Among the Grimlock possessions the adventurers found scrolls with passages that account the many visions the prophet had. A few passages pertained to the coming “Age of Worms” and another that detailed the champion of the Ebon Triad that “stirs beneath us”. Knowing that the “champion” will come forth soon, the group headed back to the dark cathedral to the stirring pool.

Once the heroes arrived at the pool, a casual inspection reveled that the pool was indeed spinning faster. As Cullen was inspecting yet closer the pool erupted, and out of the fountain of black slime arose an enormous 6-armed creature. Behold the Ebon Aspect!

Immediately the group sprang into action. Garret summoned many creatures to aid the group. Tyrrich relentlessly pounded the creature with spell after spell. Cullen and Roma did their best to attack the creature without getting hit themselves. Janna aided the group with spells and healing, but also noticed how the Ebon Aspect exhibited powers akin to each of the 3 deities that formed the Ebon Triad. The powers only lasted moments but Janna knew a fully developed Ebon Aspect would be an even greater challenge indeed. After an intense battle the Ebon Aspect is defeated.

Still convinced that there might be another way out of this mine the adventurers head back to the Grimlock caves to finish exploring the last few passage ways. One passage in particular led to a small room where the heroes see another Grimlock eating some plants. Crazed or insane the Grimlock charges the heroes with reckless abandon. The Grimlock and his 2 guards are easily dispatched. Garrett notes that the plants he was eating were hallucinogenic mushrooms.

Having explored the caves fully the group decided to somehow try to find a way ascend to the surface where the lift was at the mine shaft; so returned to the Dark Cathedral. When the group arrived back at the mine shaft they are greeted by a friend of Tyrrich’s, named Burrach, who had formed a search party to come looking for him. While they were hauling their gear back up to the surface they exchanged stories about the last few days. As it turned out Balabar Smenk was murdered a few nights ago and Ragnolin Dourstone has gone missing. The whole town is in turmoil so the garrison lead by Captain Trask has overstepped the Governor-Mayor and declared martial law to protect the economic interests of the Free City. Burrach also tells the group about a new curfew in town that was instituted after a former guard of Balabar’s was lynched.

Exhausted after their excursion, the group heads back to Aullsten’s house to see if he has any new news for them.

End of chapter 12 and final chapter to the Three Faces of Evil.