As the party gathered, excitement crackled in the air, fueled by whispers of treasure tied to a fearsome chimera. Isaac, brimming with urgency, urged the group to seek it out. Valerian rode his wyvern, Jennyfer, ahead, eager to scout the path. Meanwhile, Xeiros spotted the forgotten remains of a wizard, prompting Zonga to delve into the investigation. High above, Valerian unearthed a treasure trove of copper, silver, gold, polished moonstones, a potion of water breathing, and a dust of disappearance, all of which he stowed in his bag of holding for future distribution among the party.
Zonga returned from scavenging a hobgoblin’s body, triumphantly brandishing a potion of healing. Entering a library, the chill of cold damage washed over them, a foreboding sign. Yurian quickly identified the ominous presence of brown mold, suggesting it could become a potent weapon against their foes. As Xeiros uncovered a hidden door, the party’s curiosity ignited further exploration. Isaac, ever cautious, sought dwarven books while avoiding the cold’s bite. Healing attempts were made as they braved the icy atmosphere. In the next chamber, an armory cloaked in dust and cobwebs beckoned, where a magical shield caught Isaac’s eye. Despite Xeiros’s strategy to retrieve it with mage hand, Isaac snatched it up, undeterred by the ominous warnings of a curse.
Their exploration took a perilous turn when Yurian attempted to harvest the brown mold, resulting in a catastrophic explosion that left him wounded. Zonga, however, successfully secured a vial of the mold, and the party began scheming its potential use in battle. Soon, they faced a locked door, and Isaac’s forceful entry revealed a den of hellhounds within. Valerian sought to calm the beasts, but Yurian charged in, dealing damage without finishing them off.
The ensuing combat was fierce and exhilarating, the party uniting to bring the hellhounds to heel. Isaac found himself scorched by a hellhound’s fiery breath, while Zonga delivered a devastating strike to one of the hellhounds. Valerian eliminated one hellhound with a deft maneuver, and Yurian finished the last with a flurry of strikes, showcasing their teamwork. Afterward, Valerian explored a room filled with gears, recalling the presence of more enemies lurking nearby.
As they strategized their next move, they overheard goblins lamenting their boredom, prompting plans for a surprise assault. Zonga hurled a frost grenade into the room, sending a shiver through the air and eliciting reactions from the hobgoblins. Valerian followed up with a fireball, obliterating all but the leader of the hobgoblins. Amidst the chaos, discussions of morality surfaced regarding their treatment of a captured hobgoblin, who, in a twist of fate, revealed his allegiance to the Eternal Flame and offered directions to Vanifer’s location.
Concerns arose for Eeyore, who had ventured off but soon returned after exploring a ledge. The party decided to rest, allowing Valerian to heal their wounds before turning their attention to the mysterious floating platform and its activation. They discovered an iron coffer brimming with silver, gold, and gemstones, but the unsettling sight of hands affixed to the walls—remnants of a previous struggle—sent chills down their spines.
Valerian’s scrying unveiled Vanifer, deep within a cavern of bubbling lava, flanked by a stone colossus and a young red dragon. This revelation sharpened their focus on the fire cult, solidifying their next target. Both Isaac and Yurian used the altar to communicate with otherworldly beings, and Isaac shared what he learned before going off with Yurian alone. However, Yurian prepared to attack Isaac, hinting at rising tensions within the group.
With the ominous threat of the fire cult looming large, the party resolved to regroup and strategize, understanding the need to bolster their strength before facing the challenges that lay ahead. Adventure beckoned, and they were ready to answer the call!