Painted Desert

The Curse of the Crimson Throne

Part 17: Into The Cinderlands, part 1

The Cinderlands - a vast stretch of barren, rocky land, baked dry by the relentless sun. No shade, no water, very little life. A desolate place to travel. But travel we did. Somewhere in this vast desert were the Shoanti barbarians, whom we had to talk to about Kazavon, the being that had taken over Queen Ileosa.

We had one lead to start us in the right direction. One of the tribes, known as the Skoan-Quah, was settled in an area called the Kallow Mounds - an ancestral burial site for the Shoanti tribes. We also knew that Thousand Bones - the Shoanti ambassador whom we had helped retrieve his grandson's body - was a member of the Skoan-Quah, and would be at the Kallow Mounds when we got there.

We were met with suspicion as we arrived. We were classed as Tshamek, which means foreigner. We encountered a young barbarian named Krojun, who hated all Tshamek, and he challenged Reg to a peculiar tug-of-war. The match was a draw, but Krojun left the tribe distinctly unimpressed with us.

We also met Thousand Bones, and he greeted us warmly. When we told him that we needed to know about Kazavon and the events surrounding him, we were informed that the only people who were allowed to tell of the history of the Shoanti were the Sun Shamans. Unfortunately, the only tribe in the area to have sun shamans were the Sklar-Quah, and they would certainly not tell their history to Tshamek. Then how were we to find out what we needed to know to save Korvosa? The Skoan-Quah chieftan had an idea...

Many years ago, a member of the Sklar-Quah was banished from his tribe for killing his brother. Determined to return to them, he said that he would return reborn, and that his past sins would be forgotten. The barbarian went out into the desert and encountered a creature known as Cindermaw, and he was promptly eaten by it. However, he emerged from it and returned to the tribe. The Sklar-Quah agreed that he had been reborn, and so was welcomed back. We were told that the only way the Sklar-Quah would accept us was if we reenacted this story. However, this wasn't going to be simple. We needed to find a Truthspeaker - a man who has never told a lie and is respected by all other tribes. The Lyrune-Quah had one, and they were due to meet at an ancient temple soon. However, we couldn't just walk into the Lyrune-Quah camp and ask to borrow their Truthspeaker (that would have been far too easy). We had to first receive a magical mark that would command respect from the tribe.

So, our task was to first head to a ruin known as the Acropolis of the Thrallkeeper, where an ancient relic would give as the magical mark we required. We then had to travel to the Temple of the Moon, to where the Lyrune-Quah would be, show them the mark, and then borrow their Truthspeaker. Then we had to head out into the desert, find Cindermaw, and one of us get eaten by him but emerge from the creature unharmed. Finally, we then had to find the Sklar-Quah, let the Truthspeaker tell them that we had reenacted the legend, so that they would tell us the information we wanted. We were going to be in this accursed place for quite a while.

The next morning, our barbarian escort lead us out into the desert towards the Acropolis. On the way we discovered we were being followed. Through magical means, we realised it was Krojun and his men, following us from a distance. When approached, he and his men just rode away. We also encountered Shoanti heads on poles, with crossbow bolts in their eyes. Our escorts told us of a person known simply as the Cinderlander, who killed lone Shoanti for no known reason.

After a few days, we arrived at the Acropolis. We got their just in the nick of time, as a huge black cloud tinted with lightning and fire was swiftly approaching. Our ranger recognised it as an emberstorm - a particularly dangerous storm that appeared only in the Cinderlands. Hastily we made our way inside.

To our surprise, we were not the only ones there. Firstly, we had a close encounter with a pair of Red Mantis assassins. They were easy to deal with. We then met a priest of Zon-Kuthon by the name of Sial. He told us that his colleague, Laori (that strangely cheerful woman who helped us find the painter, Salvatore), had told his organisation about us, and that we shared a mutual goal. We both wanted the Fangs of Kazavon removed from Queen Ileosa, and that he had been ordered to follow us and maybe form some sort of alliance. Reg was not happy with this, so Sial said he would just follow us, not get in the way, and would offer us assistance if we needed it.

So, we explored the ruins and found a relic shaped like a globe depicting our world. Adam and Kemar succumbed to its magic, and they were both given the magical mark that we needed. Now it was on to the Temple of the Moon and the acquisition of a Truthspeaker...

Rescue Me

The Curse of the Crimson Throne

Part 16: Rescue and Retreat

Vimanda the rakshasa stood among us, laughing. She was finally in control of House Arkona. She boasted about how she would rule over the people of Old Korvosa as her brother had done. An evil demon lording it over part of Korvosa. It was more than Reg and the others could stand. So, with swift movements, Vimanda was cut down, her reign ending before it had even started.

We now had to return to the Vitrified Labyrinth and find Neolandus. Now knowing how the labyrinth worked, we were able to bypass the many traps and manipulate the rotating areas with ease.

We unlocked a throne room, and came face to face with the monster of the labyrinth. It was a half woman, half lion, with large, demonic horns, clad in spiked armour. The creature roared at us and attacked. She was a fearsome opponent. Her claws were lethal, as Adam was to discover. With a sudden swipe of her hand, Adam's chest was opened. With a look of horror and a gurgle of breath, he collapsed dead to the floor. Sabelle used her magic and sent the creature back to its home plane. Once it was gone, Baster called upon the power of Sarenrae, goddess of healing, and returned the life back to Adam's body.

We heard a weak cough from a dark corner, and we turned to find the real Vencarlo Orisini hanging by manacles attached to the walls. He managed a weak smile as we released him and healed his wounds.

Once he was rested, Vencarlo told us that Neolandus was being held in the torture chamber beyond an illusory wall. We followed the old swordsman through the wall and into a large room. Strapped to a rack was Neolandus, Seneschal of Korvosa, the only man who could officially end Queen Ileosa's reign over Korvosa. However, standing by him was a tall, beautiful woman. This woman was another Vudran devil, as she had six arms and three faces! She attacked us, each arm wielding a lethal scimitar. But she was no match for the group, and soon she had vanished back to the Abyss from whence she came.

With Neolandus rescued, Vencarlo suggested we leave the city. We were all considered fugitives, and the Queen's allies would no doubt be looking for us all. So, we stole a boat, and in the cover of darkness, we sailed away from the city and began our journey to the town of Harse, where Vencarlo knew of a place we could hide while we worked out what to do next.

A few days later, we arrived at a ranch just outside Harse. There, Neolandus told us what had happened in the Palace. Queen Ileosa had been a spoilt brat of a girl, horrifed about being in Korvosa. But then she had emerged from the basement of the Palace wearing an unusual crown made of bones, and with a completely different personality. She was cruel and manipulative. She killed the king and took over his reign.

Neolandus believed that Ileosa had found the Fangs of Kazavon within the basement, and had been taken over by Kazavon's spirit. Kazavon was an evil being who had lived over 300 years ago. He had eventually been killed, and his bones scattered across the world and hidden. His teeth had been buried within an ancient Shoanti pyramid, and guarded by the Shoanti tribes for generations. However, the Chelaxians had then come along, driven away the Shoanti, and built Korvosa, with the Palace built on top of the pyramid.

Our task was clear. Kazavon had been defeated before, so could be defeated again. We had to find the weapon the killed Kazavon the first time, and use it against him again. But the only people who knew of the history of Kazavon were the Shoanti barbarians who guarded his tomb.

So, the following morning, Vencarlo and Neolandus headed for the dwarven city of Janderhoff to plan their next move, and we said goodbye and headed into the Cinderlands to seek help from the Shoanti barbarians...

You spin me right round

Lots of games sessions cancellations due to the weather, but now we're back. And with a sunday afternoon special coming up, expect an influx of blog entries!

So, let's get this party started...

The Curse of the Crimson Throne

Part 15: The Labyrinth

We descended a spiral staircase that lead into a cavern. The cavern was more like a shaft, with a ledge running around the outside, and rope bridges attached to ledges that descended the shaft. The sound of water lapping at a shore echoed from the darkness below.

A well tended underground garden spread before us. Brightly coloured molds and fungi grew on the ledge, each patch beautifully shaped and manicured. Our druid gasped at the beauty of the vista.

However, with every beautiful scene, there has to be something to counterbalance it. Out of nowhere appeared three large zombie-like creatures covered with fungi and mold. They attacked us ruthlessly with with large scimitars and asphyxiating spores. Reg waded in with his mighty sword, Veyron's dinosaur companion (who had grown a great deal since I had last seen her) leapt at another, and Adam launched an assault at the third with his fists.

Soon the fungus zombies were destroyed, and we were able to continue our descent.

On one of the ledges Reda discovered a secret door. Beyond was a narrow corridor.

The corridor eventually lead us to a large set of doors, decorated with tiger motifs. As Reg touched them, they swung open silently, revealing the entry to the Vitrified Labyrinth that Bahor had told us about.

The labyrinth was a complex of rotating rooms and lethal traps. Adam took the brunt of the biting tiger head trap, but managed to avoid the spinning blade fountain. Sabelle succumbed to a painful magical symbol on the floor. Zonda (the dinosaur) fell foul of a deadly corridor of wailing maidens.

What perverse pleasure did Bahor get out of this place? Was he watching us and laughing? Was he placing bets as to which of the group would die first? He was a twisted man.

Suddeny, as we entered another room, we encountered our friend Vencarlo Orisini. His clothes were tattered and he looked exhausted. He told us that Bahor had more than a twisted mind. Bahor was a monster, hidden under an illusion of a man. Vencarlo insisted that we return to the palace above and confront and defeat Bahor.

So, we returned to the palace. Vencarlo said that Bahor was probably in his bath at this time, so we went upstairs. And there, in a beautifully decorated marble bathroom we found Bahor, without his covering illusion. He was a tall, muscular man, but his head was that of a tiger. He was a rakshasa! A demon from Vudra! We should have guessed, with the palace decorated in the Vudran style.

Vencarlo screamed at us to kill him, so we took arms and attacked. He was a powerful opponent. Despite wearing only a bathrobe, he was very difficult to strike.

Then Vencarlo surprised us. He let loose a ray of scorching fire from his pointed finger, setting Bahor alight. The rakshasa fought on, but he was seriously outnumbered, and Vencarlo let loose another scorching ray. The old man was full of surprises. I had assumed his was simply a well trained swordsman.

Suddenly, and without warning, Adam struck the rakshasa square in the chest with all his might. There was a sickening crack, and everyone stopped. Adam's hand was sticking out through Bahor's back, the rakshasa's heart in his hand. Even Adam looked surprised at his incredible attack.

Bahor's body slumped to the floor. The silence that followed was broken by Vencarlo laughing. Something was not quite right with his voice. It was too high. As he laughed louder, he transformed. This was not our old friend who had lead us here to kill Bahor, but another rakshasa. This one was a beautiful woman, but with the head of a fox. "At last!" she cried, "my brother is no more. The Arkona dynasty is mine to rule!"

We had been duped. What were we to do? Do we let this demon live and let her rule House Arkona in disguise? Or do we kill her and end her reign before it begins? A decision had to be made, and made fast.

What was that decision? When you return, I shall enlighten you...