The party are in the town of Sendat trying to decide on their next move. They have given the cylinder of obsidian to Sarazat, Shyren’s mentor, who disappeared into the night, walking out of the first floor window into the night air over the lake towards the mountains.
There is some consensus that there is unfinished business at the monastery of Ad-Athiss and the party discuss what their best method of approach is and what might await them there. Having secured rowing boat the party head off towards the monastery. Taking turns at the oars they make good progress on the benign waters of the lake, arriving at the base of the lake in the evening only to discover that the monastery has been ransacked. Further investigation reveals that the altar room has been desecrated and the altar vandalised with the intricate ornamentation damaged beyond repair. The secret compartment, however, is intact and still retains the light absorbing property that precludes vision. Vestorius places his hand in the space to ascertain whether anything remains concealed within only to discover that it is now empty.
A cursory sweep through the tower tells the same story, that anything of value and use has been damaged or stolen. Tiagra considers the evidence and concludes that the majority of the damage was committed by one of two people only. At the top of the monastery the party discover that the apple liquor is all missing but there are cart tracks leading out of the main gate towards the hamlet below the main buildings.
The party seek out Lasev the village elder who is looking quite pleased with himself and his newly acquired barrels of the valuable liquor. Vestorius and Pidmerion can see no grounds for complaint at the villagers’ liberation of the liquor. Vestorius states his antipathy for the usurper Tal-Lorann but Lasev can offer no further insight into the origins or present location of the latest Abbott. However, he suggests that Asdra, a witch and rumoured lover of the former Abbott Rothomad, might have some useful information.
The party resolve to find the witch and see what help she can provide. After two days in the forested hills the party find Asdra, an elderly but vivacious woman, in a cavern cut into the hills with a strongly barred wooden door revealing a very comfortable living space. Pidmerion is envious at the number of high quality pieces of equipment in the use of magic and Crannoch is convinced that there are more rooms carved further into the hillside.
The party are polite and explain that they want to find and confront Tal-Lorann while Asdra makes a pungent herbal tea which she invites them all to drink. With some trepidation they all drink the tea which causes Vestorius and Crannoch strange momentary hallucinations. Crannoch imagines himself as a large serpent encircling the world and feels strangely comfortable while Vestorius has an image of his Grandfather Crias signing a contract in blood followed by two impish creatures tormenting the signatory. Vestorius is further discomforted by a comment by Asdra about being spat out of the Devil’ arse, which she declines to explain in any detail.
Vestorius proposes a plan to occupy the monastery and to offer healing to the local population. To this end the party resolve to recover the remnants of the library they saved from Sendat. The party leave Asdra on terms and offers assistance to begin their journey to the town on the lake. During the night they are awoken by a baleful sound. Vestorius and Crannoch resolve to investigate but Tiagra and Pidmerion are too disturbed to desire any closer contact with the origin of the sound. Moving through the undergrowth quietly they see the enigmatic hunter Torargh, lit by the moon, with a hunting horn of ivory delicately embellished with gold filigree to his lips. A short time later a huge dark hound with smoking breath and deep glowing eyes materializes and Torargh appears to give it instructions after which it bounds through the trees into the night towards the shoreline. The two friends withdraw with food for thought but refrain from taking any action. Subdued, the party re-enter the town of Sendat and retrieve their cache of around one hundred books and set off for the monastery once again. Again the journey by water is uneventful, reinforcing the importance of the body of water for trade and travel. Upon arrival at monastery Pidmerion attempts to close the open base of the tower by inscribing an Earth rune. After a couple of failed attempts Pidemerion strikes upon the correct incantation and the rock surrounding the smashed gates ripples into a malleable clay which Pidmerion shapes with the force of his will and the power of the rune to enclose the vulnerable space.
Two days of housework follow with the party setting straight the chaos left behind by the vandals. During this time Pidemerion again inscribes an earth rune with the intention of forming stone bookshelves to protect their books from the threat of fire. As the stone ripples and flows to the aspiring wizard’s direction a small opening is revealed containing a book bound and locked with inscribed silver. The tome is titled ‘the Life Immortal.’ Delighted the party set to examining the book only to be rushed by two assailants who come through the windows.
The defenders react quickly with Vestorius and Pidmerion taking the fight to the assailants who are armed with a two handed spear and a longsword. The outnumbered attackers soon fall under the superior force of the defenders. However, it becomes clear that these were the van of a larger force trying to dock at the base of the monastery and struggling to circumvent the efforts of Pidmerion’s earlier stone work. The party pepper the would be attackers with missile fire from above and turn the assailants away causing terrible casualties on them.
As night draws in the party consider the implications of the attack and significance of their find...