23 Eleint 2993
Newly arrived members of the R3C Styx Riviera, Caviar Cubby, and Tonk (having left the group resting in the sludge room overnight on the 22nd of The Fading) leave Gosterwick to explore the Cliffs of Arden to the west of the Tears of Arden. Securing passage on the dingy of XXXX, a fisherman who plies his trade on Totey Lake, the party starts to make its way across the lake formerly called, in ancient days, the Thoth’s Eye. The party learns that there may be mysteries under the waters of the ancient lake that they pass over XXXX. Arriving on the far side to the west, the party makes its way to the base of the cliff and finds that the old switchbacks up to a visible, grand entrance into the Halls are destroyed.
Taking their time to scale the cliff from safe spot to safe spot, Styx shows off her climbing skills as the party reaches the former grand entrance that they have learned used to be the main entrance to the precincts of Set. They find that the entrance is caved in shortly into the face of the wall with the floor of this cave strewn with small mammalian bones and the occasional humanoid. Investigating, the party determines that the denizen of the cave is a mountain lion. From this location they see two paths, one slick and very dangerous down and towards the falls with no visible end, and a narrow but passable goat path up and to the west to a ledge that has a wooden and metal pulley set up. The party knows that the cult of Set operates a wicker basket up and down the cliff at night for their own purposes but also to bring visitors up and down to the Forum of Set. Reaching the level of the ledge the party pauses to consider their next steps; will the cult of Set be purely evil and kill or capture them, will they simply be avaricious and welcome the party, what other dangers will they face on the new level of the Halls of Arden Vul. While they ponder they hear an approaching group of people and are met by a wizard and his flunkies. Introducing himself as Hrodulf IceBlood, male human Wiskin magic user, he studiously ignores his companions, a human male Wiskin fighter who party later learns is Ulf, another female fighter, a female cleric of the Wiskin god Heimdall, and a torch bearer. The wizard group tells the party that the cult of Set will respect the party if they show strength and no hint of weakness and tell the party the path to take to the Forum of Set.
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