Aotearoa - Rime of the Frostmaiden - Episode 6 - Massacre at Caer Dineval
Returning from audience with Kadroth the Tiefling, Tarvin revealed he had been offered hope of a cure to the Redd Slad affliction he is suffering from. However, the price might be his soul, He is to pledge allegiance to Levistus of Stygia, the fifth circle of hell (reserved for tax collectors and people who chew loudly). He has been given the option to sleep on it before giving his reply. Shajyre also noted that the guards and Kadroth all wear pendants made of chardalyn (a substance she has been seeking as part of her research.) The party retires to the servants’ quarters to discuss what they should do.
Twitch, Shajyre and Skar are so fatigued from the journey and retire for the evening. Meanwhile the remaining party members wait until the castle has turned in for the evening and decide to explore the castle in search of answers to the mysteries of the missing speaker of the town. Malumak transforms into a cat to stealthily Lead the others through the castle interiors. Cal removed his Armor in the hope of increasing his sneakiness (a skill he does not have in abundance) while Tarvin leads Bugz through the dark confines of the castle. After slipping past some goats the group ascend the stairs to the upper level of the Caer.
Exploring to the West they encounter an old dwarfish crone with one leg who also seems not to relish the prospect of yet more Knuckleheaded trout for dinner. Hethyk has been expecting us, she complains that her time on this mortal plane is at and end and that her devotion to Levistus has earned her 40 additional years. She said that the arrogant fool Kadroth had been told of the groups impending arrival and that they should ask our questions and get out. She scoffed at Tarvin’s threats as what more could the party do to a dying woman when she would soon be joining Levitus in his icy hell. She informed the group that speaker Crannoc is in rooms to the east. She also speaks of Xardorok Sunblight a Duergar (Dark dwarf) who has a Hidden Fortress in the spine of the world Mountains powered by a red dragon heart. She believes he plans to destroy the ten towns and that the party must not face him until they have proved themselves worthy.
With a rasping last breath, she dies.
Moving across the hallway the party find Kadroth’s room. Cunningly using the knucklehead fish, they lure out Kadroth’s protective cat and can steal his keys to the castle rooms. Moving to the Eastern rooms Speaker Crannoc is discovered under guard. The guard is quickly dispatched; However, the commotion has set the dogs in the kennels below the window to barking. Malumak in cat form descends to commune and speak to the dire-wolves getting them to settle. Having avoided raising a general alarm they returned to the Servants quarters to plan further. After a Bungled attempt to kidnap Merekith a tiefling servant boy and The group persuade Mere to help guide the party through the secret shortcuts and the speaker Pleads for the group to rescue him from captivity above all else. There are also other captives elsewhere, but he insists on being rescued first. Crannoc also reveals that a powerful Albino Tiefling mage called Avarice is also somewhere in the keep. The Party is focused on removing the cultists from the Castle and village and liberating the captives from Crannoc they hope that Avarice might be negotiated with as she seems not to be devoted to Kadroth’s cause and the party may be able to make common cause in finding Netherese city of Ythryn.
The plan is to capture Kadroth and free the captives and things nearly go off without a hitch until subsequently when Cal Sneezes (possibly due to a cat hair allergy). Stealth as usual has eluded him. Awakened Kadroth confronts Bugz, Malumak, Cal and Tarvin. After a brief exchange he leaps out of a nearby widow calling for the Guards. Cal forgetting that discretion is the better part of valor leapt out the window after Kadroth and introduced him to his Battle axe. After landing a sizeable blow Cal is Paralyzed by magical means. Fortunately, excellent bow work brings Kadroth down, but the party faces a dozen cultists guards and the two arcane wielding guards Fel and Huarwar. Woken from their slumber and almost as if they were sleep walking Shajyre in Dire wolf worm and Twitch and Skar join in the fray dispatching several of the guards. Malumak finally got his eye in with his magic stones and nimbly sidestepped and subdued several guards. The final dangerous arcane wielding guards were eliminated by Tarvin and, at least for the moment, the castle is free of the cult of Leviutus.
From Here the party is still to free the captives, find Avarice and see if they can Get the craven Speaker Crannoc to behave in a more reasonable fashion. It seems as though Hell might Literally freeze over before this adventure is complete.
