==Roll Call==
Childe Raymonde, Githyanki Paladin (Doty)
Bell, Kenku Cleric (CJ)
Blynce, Human-hybrid Fighter (Eric)
Vaal, Eladrin Rogue (Tim)
Bumi, Goblin Wizard (Matt)
To the Sanctuary of Albahith, Jigow Township
Greetings to the Masters of the Pilgrims, and hail to The Luxon:
Mission Report from Childe Raymonde (Part 17)
On the road to Bazzoxan, we came across some members of the Aurora Watch fighting demons! We managed to be victorious. Lieutenant Varl, leading the Aurora Watch patrol out of Bazzoxan, explained that they had bitten off more than they could chew, and thanked us for our help and promised a reward when we all got to Bazzoxan.
We wondered whether to camp for the night on the trail or to walk another half-day march to Bazzoxan. We decided to go to the fortress-town and arrived there without incident.
We saw the gates of the town before us, a walled settlement built against a rising mountain. A cleft in the mountain was the temple of evil we had heard of -- demonic forces often would come through there, and defeating them was the purpose of the town.
The Aurora Watch welcomed us and formally asked us if we wanted to enter the city, and what was our business. We avoided a direct answer without too much trouble, and we were advised to see Varin Thelyss, the Taskhand of the town.
We went to the local Inn to rest for the night. Suddenly, trumpets blared an alarm! Skinless horrors were attacking! Gibbering mouthers, we later learned they were called. We immediately advanced to the attack. These things spit magical effects, but we were undaunted. Some Aurora Watch soldiers were in the fray as well. The gibbering of our foes caused one of the soldiers to become befuddled, and he attacked Bell, fortunately to no effect. We destroyed the last of them, Bumi using his "Lich Slap" to good effect, and we breathed sighs of relief.
The Taskhand (the same soldier that had been charmed by the mouthers) questioned us as to our business in Bazzoxan. Again, we avoided details, but promised to speak with him at length later. We escorted some of the wounded soldiers to the infirmary.
Baltha Dier (wearing the black-winged pin of Xalakas, right-hand of Corellon, who fell during the calamity), the highest-rank person at the infirmary, greeted us and thanked us for our help. We were again asked what was our business in Bazzoxan -- again, we gave little details save that we were on a quest.
The infirmary lead asked us to take a corpse to the morgue. We felt we couldn't refuse and though we were sorely tired, made our way to the crematorium. We were greeted by the one-armed crematorium attendant (Raynar), who seemed strangely happy. Another attendant asked for help carrying a group of corpses inside. A bookish Tiefling (Prolix Usah) ran up, protesting that the largest of the corpses could not be burnt yet as he needed to study it. The Tiefling said the corpse was a Vrock, and that it had swallowed something valuable.
We moved the other bodies away from the corpse of the Vrock. Suspicious, Bell checked for undead nearby, but there were none. The Tiefling asked for help dissecting the corpse. Fed up, Vaal slit the Vrock open, and narrowly avoided causing it to erupt sickening spores. We found the Vrock had indeed swallowed an "Eyes of the Eagle," some gold rings, and a puzzle box that the Tiefling said he was looking for. As soon as the puzzle box was removed from the Vrock, the Vrock began to dissolve.
Bumi scrawled the symbol from his vision and showed it to the Tiefling. He claimed that he had seen it before. "Powerful and ancient" it was, he said, but he didn't know precisely what it was or what it meant. The Tiefling at the Inn, known as "Question" might know more.
Bumi agreed to help open the puzzle box, though it was actually Vaal that succeeded. The box became a spiked crown with curved horns.
We suddenly found ourselves in a round, doorless chamber! A large statue stood in the middle of the room -- to each of us, it appeared to be the person we trusted the most. Somewhat to my surprise, I saw Bumi! No doubt it was because I am convinced Bumi is central to my own quest to gain understanding of the Luxon.
Then we noticed that the walls were all scratched with writing in Common. We heard, as of ghostly whispering, the words written. A plaque at the bottom of the statue said "Good little puppet."
Vaal stood on the dias in front of the statue, and the statue moved! It joined its hands together, as if in prayer. Vaal mimicked its gesture, and the statue punched the floor! It cracked the floor and its knuckles were bloody. Vaal did the same, hurting himself somewhat. The statue moved again, taking the sword it wore, and lunged to the left. Blood appeared on the tip of the sword. Again, Vaal did the same, but nothing happened.
Vaal stepped off the dias, and then back on it again. The sequence of movements happened the same. Bell gave it a try. Bell had somewhat more success with the strange ritual, even cutting open his own hand to find a key!
Taking that key and the matching key from the statue, Blync opened a box, finding a scroll of Bestow Curse. We heard one last voice, saying "Good little puppets."
We found ourselves back in Bazzoxan, and belatedly recognized the last speaker as Vespin Chloris, the right-hand of Asmodeus.
We then went to the wall and found it cluttered with trinkets. A Drow priest looked up at our approach. Vaal drew forth the token from Naveen (one of the infirmary wounded had asked us to do this). The priest gave us each a Mote of Possibility.
Next for us: the Inn.