26 Dualahei 838
The team wakes up bright and early. Wonders gives Question the Professor’s diary to de-code, and we set off for the Betrayer’s Rise with her in tow. Prolix stays behind to “protect the research”. Ali and Wonders don’t trust Prolix anyway, so they’re happy to see him staying behind.
The team makes their way through the town, passing a massive pit in the street. Looking inside there are unnumerable razors stuck into the side of the walls that make up the pit, fanning down towards the center like a gruesome flower. The blades are covered in gore and flesh - Question explains that the pit is where the town disposes of the demon bodies once the creatures been defeated.
The betrayer’s rise looms ahead, giant walls and enormous onyx double doors with carvings that are ominous and beautiful at once. There are spikes facing in towards the rise, a first line of defense against anything that should come out of the doors. One of the soldiers at the doors hails us, and explains that we are late - our group went in a few minutes ago. Turns out that Maggie and her team went in ahead of us, with the red-cloaked Aloysia Elfan amongst them.
As the team approaches the doors, the jewel around Eveneem’s neck glows and grows warm. The double doors also start to glow - they glow red. Eveneem has a feeling like she should touch the doors, and once she does the glow sharpens into lines, tron like, all around the doors. The symbol of Evandra shows up on the doors. The moment the doors open, two shadowy winged creatures screech as they sore out, one of them slashing Eveneem’s thigh as it goes by.
The scream that the creatures let loose has a paralyzing effect, but thankfully half the team is freed from it by a rallying call of ‘Let’s get in the game!’ from Ali. Wonders, Eveneem and Question all kick some ass.
A demon thing from the devil door picks up Ali while Wonders Kills the other one. Xenith shoots a firebolt and a half, and Question thorws many darts.
The Bat Demon Thing finally drops Ali, who fires a cool shot up at it as she falls, landing hard.
The Aurora’s Watch Soldiers were as useless as always. The Bat thing comes after Wonders and knocks him off a rock.
Inside the doors is a short bridge over a chasm, with statues of Avandra in the distance to either side of the bridge. Wonders boldly opens the door at the other end fo the bridge, which opens to reveal a larger chamber holding a basin, over which stands a somber man in armor, with curving horns. in the basin is a blood like liquid which seems to sparkle like stars.
Mick looks in the basin and an ethereal energy seems to sap some his energy, leaving him with a level of exhaustion, but 4 hit points richer. Eveneem meanwhile, uses an empty potion bottle to gather some of the liquid.
Wonders checks the door on teh opposite (North) side, which appears unlocked, and opens it.
The next chamber seems empty except a small skull shaped vase on a small table in an alcove on the north wall. There are alcoves on the East and West walls, and a collapsed passage to the North East.
To the north west is a wall with Abyssal written on it, with a message implying that one could pass through it if they accept death. Ali just stright goes for it. Wonders goes to inspect the skull vase, and it has a message about sacrificing what you value.
Mick and Wonders each drop in a gold which erodes, corrodes and withers away into nothingness. Xenith sacrifices a flute, which causes the wall behind the vase to rise up revealing a room with two braziers, one burning with a white flame and one burning with a black flame. Further into the room are three additional braziers and a small altaer with stones of matching colors.
Eveneem Res cold vul fire, 1d4 cold
Mick res necro, vul radiant, 1d4 necro
Wonders res fire, vul cold, 1d4 fire
Xenith res poison, healing halved, 1d4 poison
Question res lightning, vul thunder, 1d4 lightning
To the north is a hallway with black pillars and a polished floor. Ornate braziers contain pale white flames. At the far end is a mosaic of a stained glass window which seems to shimmer with color, on it are nine symbols. Faint music comes frfom somewhere.
As Xenith enters the room, small flame beings in the braziers seem to ask us to dance. Wonders gets jiggy wit it and the sprite flies towards the stained glass and into one of the nine symbols, which begins to glow. It is the symbol of the spider, which kind of freaks Eveneem out. Wonders convinces Xenith to dance with one of the sprites, and it also flies away into a symbol, this time it is the symbol of an eye with a tear of blood.
2 braziers remain; Eveneem dances with one, which goes to the symbol of the jagged spiral. on a high, Eveneem heads to the last brazier and dances again. the final sprite flies into the symbol of a trio of arms holding each other. when the 4th sprite enters the stained glass, it fades away revealing a hallway. The Hallway is dark and the floor is thick with what almost looks like a tangled nest of black chains. There is a sound of wailing coming from the hallway, and beneath the pain is a note of pleasure. The Wails have an unnatural cadence and tone. Eveneem calls out, but recieves no response. She follows up by tossing a coin down the hallway, but nothing happens. She steps inside and immediately feels incredibly heavy.
As Eveneem collapses, the chains on the floor begin to snake towards her and a voice says some spooky shit. Eveneem is fighting off the chains and Wonders is trying to pull her out. Mick comes through clutch and pulls the extra bit needed to get Eveneem out of the chain hall