15: Crushing Wave Temple Part 1

   

The Scarlet Moon Hall stood broken, its fall a testament to the heroes' might. Though triumphant, their bodies bore the weight of battle. Rowan, ever resourceful, conjured a small adamantine watchtower from a magical toy, a temporary haven. They settled in for a much-needed rest, but the earth itself seemed to deny them peace. An earthquake rumbled beneath their temporary sanctuary. Peering out, they witnessed massive, unseen things moving beneath the ground, circling the very foundations of Scarlet Moon Hall.

The ancient structure creaked, tilted precariously, stonework raining down with thunderous thuds. Then, with a deafening roar, the entire tower collapsed, falling forward directly onto the newly conjured watchtower. A deafening cascade of metallic clangs erupted as tons of stone crashed against the adamantine walls. The tower fell, a massive pile of rubble now obscuring the previously partially hidden entrance to the underground complex.

An Ankheg

The earth-shaking creatures then turned their attention to the heroes' own watchtower, its foundations beginning to groan and tilt. Bessok, however, had had enough. He called upon his ancestors, and ghostly Dwarves vanished into the earth. The ground convulsed, and several massive Ankheg burst forth, scurrying away in angry confusion. Disgruntled, they circled for a few minutes before retreating, the earth's tremors finally fading into silence.

The group waited, ensuring no further attacks were imminent, before finally completing their interrupted rest. Morning brought a welcome calm. Over breakfast, Bessok received a distant message from Imdarr Relvaunder, a fellow member of the Order of the Gauntlet in Red Larch. Imdarr's Sending spell carried a worried tone: he had witnessed Feathergale Spire collapse and heard of Womford's destruction. Bessok replied, assuring him that despite the valley's troubles, they were actively addressing them.

The news of Feathergale Spire's demise was an annoyance; it had served as a convenient base. Still, the path to the Air Temple's tunnels remained accessible, so they could deal with that later. For now, their decision was unanimous: retribution against the Water Cult. What they had done to Bargewright and Womford demanded payback.

Returning to their Hippogriffs, they found a grim scene: a trio of half-eaten wolves, testament to a failed predatory attempt. Tracks indicated perhaps a dozen more had wisely chosen a hasty retreat.

Map of Rivergard Keep

Taking to the air, the group flew the short, hour-long journey to Rivergard Keep. The fortress stood intact, a campfire smoke pluming from its central area, where four Dwarves sat, seemingly enjoying breakfast. As the group descended, the Dwarves, initially wary of the approaching Hippogriffs, soon became friendly, inviting them to share a meal—another chunk of meat added to the spit, another flagon of ale produced.

Their hosts—Hormund, Belnir, Torman, and 'Fezzark'—were a scouting team of miners and prospectors. They were fascinated by the idea of an ancient Dwarven complex hidden beneath their feet but had no intention of delving into such dangers themselves. If the "adventurers" could clear it, however, the Dwarves of the Sword Mountains would be very interested in exploring it as a future home.

A Ghoul

After sharing food and drink, the mining team bid them farewell, heading into the hills to continue their work. The group descended into the depths of the Keep, finding the underground stream. Two rowing boats awaited, and they boarded, two to each. They hadn't travelled far before six ghouls surged from the murky depths, seizing the front boat, rocking it violently until it capsized, plunging Gark into the frigid water. Joe, however, was a whirlwind of deadly precision; even as the ghouls burst from the water, he unleashed a volley of arrows, felling one ghoul before the boat had even fully overturned.

Bessok reacted instantly. His magical cloak allowed him to flow through the water like a fish, and he surged towards the ghouls, smashing through them with his mace. Gark, recovering, bonked them with his magical staff, while Rowan attacked from the second boat with well-aimed crossbow bolts. The small ghoul patrol was swiftly dispatched, a stark introduction to the dangers ahead.

As they continued upstream, the oppressive darkness, broken only by their darkvision, and the cold, damp air created an unnerving atmosphere. Then, a gargantuan creature roared far off in the distance. The sound was immense, echoing through the cavern, causing the water around their boats to ripple violently.

Believing the creature closer than it was, they docked at a nearby cavern, preparing for battle, even throwing out lures to draw it closer. When nothing responded, they resumed their journey upstream, eventually spotting a light. Gark waved his staff, cloaking everyone in shadows as their boat drew nearer.

Map of the Temple of the Crushing Wave

Maintaining a cautious distance, Joe and Rowan scouted ahead, discovering a vast underground cavern complex: a labyrinth of carved hallways, rooms, and canals, crisscrossed by immense bridges. A large lake lay to their west (3). Ahead (1), they saw dry land with steps leading to the water, where a skiff was tied. In the open area, several cultists stood guard, watching the tunnel. Some appeared bored, while a few more disciplined ones barked orders at their complacent comrades.

Crushing Wave Cultists

The cultists didn't last long. With a blinding flash, a fireball from Joe's wand exploded in their midst, reducing four to little more than dust that drifted onto the water. The remaining cultists were tougher, but no match for the onslaught of arrows, swords, and axes.

Taking the form of a Giant Eagle, Gark decided to scout from above. He flew over the vast lake to the west, spotting another dock (19) with ruined skiffs, another bridge (15), and the canal flowing beneath it. As he circled a rocky outcropping, a giant octopus erupted from the water, wrapping a tentacle around the Eagle, dragging it down. With a powerful struggle, Gark-Eagle managed to break free, soaring away. He then headed north along the first canal (2) and under a bridge (6), continuing his aerial reconnaissance.

Meanwhile, the others found solid ground and began searching the area. They opened a door to what appeared to be a prison (5), then continued onwards to more doors. These opened into a room swarming with cultists (7). Joe attacked from one side, Rowan from the other, but the cultists, having space to manoeuvre, rushed out, surrounding the group and landing a few painful hits before the heroes could retaliate. A cultist Priest even engaged Bessok in a brief duel, attempting to hold him in place—a decision he regretted moments later.

The battle concluded, Gark returned to the group near the bridge (6), relaying his aerial findings. Rather than systematically clearing each room, the group opted for stealth, seeking a direct path to the Water Cult Prophet. They moved through the complex, passing doors (8, 9), before circling back and crossing the bridge to explore the other side.

They heard muffled sounds behind one door (13) and the guttural grunts of two semi-intelligent creatures behind another (12). Northwards, torchlight illuminated what Bessok recognized as a market hall (22), where several cultists were at work. Joe asked Bessok, with his knowledge of Dwarven architecture, if he had a likely guess for the Prophet's hiding place. Bessok pointed to the room ahead (24/25).

A bridge spanned the canal, leading to large double doors painted with the Water Cult's symbol. Rowan recognized the faint magical shimmer of an enchanted glyph, likely set to explode if tampered with. On either side of the door, however, two colossal Dwarven stone faces, mouths agape, allowed water to flow into the canal from the room beyond.

A Hezrou

Slipping through these watery openings, the group gained the element of surprise. Joe unleashed a fireball, incinerating five Lizardfolk inside. Beyond them, a demonic creature, a Hezrou, rose from its position in front of an altar, preparing to fight. Though formidable, it was utterly hampered by Gark's timely summoning of a Giant Constrictor Snake, which wrapped itself around the demon, allowing the others to attack it almost unhindered.

With the fight swiftly concluded, the group followed the flowing stream of water into a cavern to the east (26), discovering a hidden collection of treasure and more books from Bruldenthar, the missing Dwarven scribe.

Returning to the previous room, they turned west. Gark's new serpentine friend slithered into a room filled with trainee cultists (27), swiftly ending their lives, then continued along a long corridor to a large room (28). The room was empty save for intricate Dwarven carvings covering the walls, a grand staircase descending into darkness, and another demonic creature guarding the steps—a hunched, insectoid-like shape.

Known as a Mezzoloth, it initially attempted telepathic conversation. But when Gark ordered his snake to attack, it turned hostile. The snake, true to form, wrapped itself around the Mezzoloth, restricting its movements, allowing the rest of the group to rush in and finish it off. Joe, the last through the door, found his usually unerring arrows repeatedly missing, despite his typical luck. It might have saved the demon’s life, as the Mezzoloth suddenly vanished, teleporting away to an unknown location.

A Mezzoloth