Sundered Faith

Notable for the recovery of multiple magic items that the Companions used for many later adventures, and also for the most amazingly bad choice of words from a player character, ever.

The Letter

It all started with a {{pdf|DearPerrin.pdf|letter}. Perrin's summer fling, Rachel was - uninvited - coming to live with him in the Blue City, and would he pick her up?

Then, of course, she didn't show. And the boat she was supposed to be on? Also didn't show.

This? This was bad.

Journey Upriver

A quick consultation with the Maradin Spice Trading Concern netted the Companions of the Rising Sun a contract to go upriver and find the missing boat, rescue anyone needing rescue and recover any cargo possible.

A couple days ride south of the city, the Companions discovered the wreckage of the boat, and tracks leading into the hills nearby. From the filth and stench surrounding the tracks, Perrin determined that they were following undead, and the Companions girded themselves for battle.

A Tunnel in the Hill

The Companions shortly followed the tracks to an old, abandoned, but beautiful tunnel in the side of a hill. Cautiously entering, they quickly encountered several groups of undead, some apparently stationed and others simply wandering. Defeating them, the Companions discovered a number of corpses wearing the livery of Moradin Spices, presumably the crew of the boat.

Though disappointed, they proceeded inwards, hoping to find some other survivors, until a rotting floor gave way beneath them, dumping them into a roaring chute of water. Though Kimo was quick enough to avoid it, the rest of the Companions fell in, and he elected to jump in and join them in their fate. A long water slide later, it unceremoniously dumped them into a vast underground lake.

While most of the Companions wore light or no armor, and had no trouble swimming to shore, Nigel was not so lucky. With dwarven bone density, and wearing a heavy steel breastplate, he sank like a stone. It was then that the Companions discovered something about their comrade, and dwarves in general.

Dwarves can hold their breath basically forever.

Nigel, with some assistance from Kimo, walked out of the lake, on the bottom. Along they way, they noticed a lump on the bottom that turned out to be a moss-covered set of plate mail, which Jericho later confirmed was magical.

That's when the lake worm attacked. A gargantuan, undead, poison-fanged lake worm.

After a pitched battle, they defeated it, leaving its disgusting carcass floating in the lake while they recovered the armor. This armor, once cleaned up and fitted, became Nigel's signature armor, and he returned the borrowed breastplate he wore to his uncle, Brother Denehan ClearStone.

Entrance to the Temple

Just off the sandy shore of the underground lake, the Companions discovered the entrance to a temple of some sort. The hallway had, set into it, a great bronze seal, covered in mystical runes. Crossing it, they discovered that all their light sources blazed out, and Jericho reported that his connection to ORB was reduced to a mere thread. A dark curse hung over this place, and the undead seemed to thrive, right at home amongst the evil mojo.

Left Wing

Exploration led to a magical workshop, curiously left untouched by the undead otherwise permeating this place. In the middle of a magical circle on the floor lay a rapier, glowing with energy. Notes on the work table indicated it was incomplete, awaiting only a name, and the casting into it of a spell, which it would then be able to effect once/day. After some consideration, Regina cast true strike into it, and named it Finepointe. It became her signature weapon.

Also in this workroom, the Companions found a thick, heavy tome, Every Light Casts a Shadow, by Landor Caladon. Filled with dense, detailed, complex magical theory and notations, this book was way over the heads of the Companions.

Right Wing

The party chose not to investigate this area, as the doors to this wing - visibly bowed outward from pressure and leaking water - looked ominous enough to leave alone.

Central Wing

"Are you sure it's mine?"