After returning to the Church of Kord following their trip to Infernus' island, the Swords of Drahar spent some time in town. Torn had a theory about Truxas, and using a ritual devised by himself, he found out that Truxas had the divine spark. And it only took 4 weeks and cost 10.000 gold pieces.
Freeday 5th Phebroar, Year 27
He also divined him, forcing out visions out about Truxas. He saw Truxas entering a pavillion with 9 seats, deducing that this must indeed be the fabled Pavillion of the Gods, with 1 stone seat for each god. The milky white sky above suggested that it should (as theorized) be located somewhere in the Astral Sea. He saw Truxas sit on the chair fashioned as an oak tree (Luna), deducing that Truxas must be the new god of magic. But on the floor before Truxas lay his companions...
After those interesting tidbits of information, the Swords decided it was time to head to the Shadowfell and pay a quick visit to the last dragon on the list, and acquire the last heart.
Heading back to Danar Hold, Torn opened to portal they had watched Trevor and the priests of Kord close more than a year before. They entered the Shadowfell and headed south to the gloomier version of the Thunderspire Mountains.
High up towards the top of one of the spires, they found the temple. Following the mile-long stairs going up to the temple itself, they were assaulted by Shadar-kai, but those were quickly dismissed. Up in the temple they found the heart, more Shadar-Kai and the dragon. Their attempt to scare the dragon and its minions into giving up the heart failed, and soon the inhabitants of the shadowy realm lay dead at the Swords' feet.
They found 100.000 gold pieces in assorted gems, coins and treasure, and a pair of bracers and a pair of boots.
Executioner’s Bracers
These ornamental gold bracers help you to hit harder.
Level: 23
Price: 425,000 gp
Item Slot: Arms
Property: When you score a critical hit, the attack deals 3d6 extra damage.
Boots of Speed
These durable boots are designed to take you farther, faster.
Level: 22
Price: 325,000 gp
Item Slot: Feet
Property: Gain a +2 item bonus to speed.
Lordday 6th Phebroar, Year 27
Back from the Shadowfell, the Swords chilled out for a few days, and then headed to the Feywild, where they (after handing over the 3 "hearts" and being made honorary members of the Church of Luna) got to talk to the Oracle. The Oracled happened to be a gargantuan silver dragon and a little 8 year old girl. The oracle told them that they were lying when they were evading its questions about why they wanted the ritual, but it gave it to them none the less, because one of the forks if they didn't get the ritual ended with darkness, the death of all magic.
Sonday 14th Phebroar, Year 27
Finally they had the ritual. Heading back to Drahar, they soon realized that they were nowhere near done with the ritual. In order to complete the ritual, they need a component, an item and a specific place. And only the component was revealed until they had it in hand.
The component is the Heart of Grazz't.
Gulp.
Quickly figuring out that a frontal assault on Grazz't himself would only cause them to die a horrible and quick death, they none the less decided to head to Azzagrat and figure out things from there.
Torsday 18th Phebroar, Year 27
The Swords packed up their things and headed to Sigil. There they bought tickets on a Astral Shiff and flew out in the Elemental Chaos. On the way down into the maelstrom of the Abyss, they were assaulted by some rogue Githzerai pirates, who, after a good start, ended up being more dead than pirate. But they did have some interesting things, including 50.000 gold pieces in assorted coins and gems, as well as a small marble cube.
Instant Portal
Shattering this glass marble against a hard surface releases the short-lived portal within.
Level: 23
Price: 425,000 gp
Wondrous Item
The portal is misty, restricting vision to 5 squares into the destination. Until the portal closes, creatures can move freely between the portal and the location to which its connected.
Tirsday 23th Phebroar, Year 27
Arriving on the Plain of Thousand Portals next to the Inn run by Red Shroud, an alu-demon who is rumored to the dark of many things. She put them in contact with Ncreed, a one-eyed Vrock with no compulsions against telling them which Iron Fortress to enter in order to get to the 45th layer. For 50.000 gold pieces.
Onsday 24th Phebroar, Year 27
After a couple of days of traveling, Ncreed bid them farewell, and they were to take the last mile on their own, as per agreement. However, the Abyss is a dangerous place, and things tend to happen. No sooner than Ncreed was gone, they were jumped by a Bebilith and a few swarms of abyssal spiders.
After having killed the poor spiders, the Swords hurried along and soon found themselves in front of the Iron Fortress. Truxas tried to bluff and gained entrance, but it was all a trap, and the Swords found themselves under fire from some alu-demons on a balcony, while the mezzo-demons were poking at them below.
Further in, they were assaulted from all sides by a couple of Vrocks and a small contingent of Balgura demons, flooding the room. For a long time, things looked a bit iffy, but in the end, the little demons were no match for the fury of Drahar.
Down below they went, and at some point they even thought they were going to walk to the 2nd layer. But instead, they ended up in a throne room/harem with a handful of Nyca-demons, a Hezrou and a Balor. Which actually ended up being two balors. Ouch. It was touch and go, with Torn, Truxas and Carric standing in a corner, only protected by Torn's Illusionary Wall, which held, in spite of the repeated attempts of the Balor. Gnoguh and Tagron both died though, victims of a pool of abyssal evil that the Balor tossed them into - repeatedly.
Finding enough residuum for the raise dead rituals proved a bit of a hassle, and the Swords had to disenchant a few magical items in order to be able to get both up.
Luckily for them, there was also some treasure there. 70.000 gold pieces and a necklace.
Necklace of Fate
This necklace of acorns and woven vines tethers your spirit to nature, helping you shake off the effects of combat.
Level: 22
Price: 325,000 gp
Item Slot: Neck
Enhancement: +5 Fortitude, Reflex, and Will
Power (Encounter): No Action. Trigger: You make a saving throw at a time other than the end of your turn. Effect: You gain an item bonus to that saving throw equal to the necklace’s enhancement bonus.
Freeday 26th Phebroar, Year 27
Entering the 45th layer (Rauweng), the Swords found a desolate place with no vegetation, eternal rain and almost no color.
Shortly after getting there, they picked up the trail of what turned out to be a small clan of Vistani, inter-planar traveling merchants. The Swords spent a night with them, and learned that the Vistani had a young child called Lilith with extraordinary powers of foresight. The Vistani showed them the way to Zelatar, the capital of Grazz't.
Sonday 28th Phebroar, Year 27
Posing as merchants, they easily gained access. Truxas found them an inn and a sage (Yo-Gar-Tum, an Alu-demon sage). For the modest price of 50.000 gold pieces he revealed that the Heat of Grazz't was not the real heart, or at least that there was something else with the same name. The current lover of Grazz't, Matron Mora, Drow High Priestess of Grazz't was also called just that.
The Swords quickly decided that kidnapping her (the ritual needed her alive) sounded a lot better than facing the only creature to have out-witted Asmodeus and lived to tell about it. Gaining access to the sewers, while Truxas made a bit of scouting (ha-ha), they found a shortcut into the inner sanctum of the church. Up through a passwall.
The following battle was long and furious, involving a Goristro and a Marilith-drow (amongst others) as well as the High Priestess. In the end they got her down, and immediately cast the cube and opened a portal to Sigil. Grazz't arrived a split-second too late, managing only to wound Torn, before he as the last jumped through to one of the only places Grazz't couldn't follow.
Having escaped alive, they immediately ported to the Church of Kord, to imprison Mora behind a magical circle capable of keeping out most creatures. Forbiddance was also cast (Torn made a trip to Sigil to buy it) as well in order to stop some scrying.
Mansday 1st Mahrs, Year 27
The next morning, a couple of men in robes showed up at the church, wanting to talk to the Swords. As the Swords came out to talk to them, they each dropped an instant portal, opening the way for hundreds of demons and undeads to flood the church and Drahar.
The Orcus (or rather the Aspect of Orcus) and Demogorgon (again, Aspect of Demogorgon) stepped out howling for the bitch.
An big battle followed, while the undead and the demons were ripping apart the church and city. Tthe fact that they were standing in a church of Kord weakened both aspects, but it was still amazing that the Swords managed to kill not one, but both demonlords. Especially Carric who killed Demogorgon with his mace!
As soon as the bodies of Orcus and Demogorgon had hit the floor, Kord arrived, explaining that he was forbidden to interfere. He did help the Swords a bit, by renewing their strength, and telling them that the fight was not yet over. He vanished and then they heard:
Where is my woman! - as Grazz't (aspect again) walked around the corner....
PS: Mora had 130.000 in residuum and astral diamonds on her, as well as a ring and an Ioun Stone.
PPS: Both Orcus and Demogorgon left behind (when their bodies dissipated) astral diamonds worth 50.000 gold pieces
Ring of Regeneration
This ring of plain silver is adorned with a blood red ruby.
Level: 24
Price: 525,000 gp
Item Slot: Ring
Property: Gain a +3 item bonus to your healing surge value.
If you’ve reached at least one milestone today, you also gain regeneration 10 until the end of the encounter or until you spend a healing surge.
Ioun Stone of Adaptation
This clear crystal floats in the air above your head, providing you with sustenance and durability against certain adverse effects.
Level: 21
Price: 225,000 gp
Item Slot: Head
Property: You do not need to eat or drink. Also, you and your equipment suffer no ill effects from ambient temperatures between -50 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit or from precipitation.
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