In Shadowdale, the party shops and dithers, recruiting a new fighter to help the party with the muscle to spellcaster ratio. Various political intrigues are discussed and the researching of magic items if investigated further. Barada bargains with the church of Lathander to get his wand recharged…hehhehe…and Dalliance investigates the dragon orb/claw/stand combination item looted long ago. The oldest party members discuss their ‘life-after-death’ options since there is a dark and vengeful god that has laid claim to their souls many years ago. Dalliance opts for litchdom as the lesser of two evils and offers to have Barada infected with vampirism so he need not die either – so they could continue to ‘hang out’. What a pal!
When the fighter has filled out he requisite paperwork to join the group Nil is added to the front rank – and off they go. Deciding that the local lore might be easier to acquire, they float downriver on a barge asking questions each night of the locals until they deem themselves close. With druids in bird form, they spot the cleft in the rocks and eventually gain entrance. From there – a wander through a series of converging tunnels brings them to a major intersection. There 4 halls and a plaza combine. The plaze is the closest thing that has a doorway with doors to open – so it is chosen. The doors are eventually forced open and the party gains entrance to an old vestibule – a temple of some sort.
There they are set upon by a pair of Intellect Devourers – who stun the front rank into insensibility! Doom is certain, but the fearsome creatures are dispatched by Dalliance and her missiles. Beyond lies the temple rotunda – complete with statuary (now defaced) and defenders – the elusive Kua-Toa are finally revealed! Fireball and Co. help hide them again. The statuary is examined and discovered to be defaced – decapitated, in fact – and stone heads replaced with actual humanoid ones. Barada examines one of the more recent ones and discovers tentacle marks on the front and a round hole in the back where the brain used to be. Mind Flayers! – announces Barada.
Just then, a door swings open…
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