==== V2 Session Twenty-Two - 21 December 2007 - "Fortress of the Yuan-Ti" (part 3) ====

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^ Player ^ Character ^ Race ^ Class ^
| Dave | [[Freyrik]] | Human(Feytouched) | Warlock/7 |
| Ken | [[Ash]] | Aasimar | Paladin/5 |
| VW | [[Heilli]] | Human | Illumine Soul/1, Soulknife/5, Psion/1 |
| Kurt | [[Ketamine]] | [[Crag Gnome]] | Barbarian/1, [[Witch]]/6 |
| Chris | [[Yosi]] | Wood Elf | Barbarian/7 |
| Val | [[Allie]] | [[Lesser Aasimar]] | Favored Soul/6, Ranger/1 |

//Note: This adventure comes from 
"[[http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=products/dndacc/9780786943609|Fortress 
of the Yuan-ti]]", by Ari Marmell, as published by 
[[http://www.wizards.com|Wizards of the Coast]].//

=== 13 October 1111 ===

//Area Y1)// Staging Area

After dispatching the Lizardfolk guards, the party uses their keys to open the 
door at the top of the stairs.  Inside, the find themselves at the base of the 
highest (middle) tower.  A man-sized **bronze dragon** drops down from a high 
balcony, claiming to be an abused captive.  Up on the balcony, a Yuan-ti wizard 
begins casting spells.

During the initial instant of doubt, the dragon positions himself so that his 
lightning "breath" can affect as many of the characters as possible.  This,
of course, erases any doubt about the dragon's intentions.

When the battle is over, both the dragon and the wizard are dead.  From the 
wizard (who they later learn was named "Issiel"), the party gets **2 potions** 
of //levitate//, **//bracers of armor +4//**, and two keys (which they find go 
to areas Y2 and Y3).  From the dragon, they get a pair of 
**//[[http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/wondrousItems.htm#glovesofArrowSnaring|
gloves of arrow snaring]]//**.

{{ v2-22-portal.jpg|The portals -- as found throughout "The Fortress of the Yuan-ti"}}

//Area Y2)// Map Room

This room contains numerous scroll cases, sheaves of parchment, and 
cartographers' tools.  In the scroll tubes and on the table are many maps --
which the party gathers in case they will be useful.  While many of the maps are 
of places they do not recognize, some are places they know -- including the 
"Barrow of the Forgotten King", the Underdark city of Pedestal, and the area 
around [[Kingsholm]].

Over the table, [[Ketamine]] pries a 2-foot by 4-foot **mirror of polished 
silver** off the wall (It is worth 1,000 gp).  Also, among the scroll tubes, 
[[Freyrik]] finds a **scroll** of //explosive runes//, //magic mouth// and 
//sepia snake sigil//.

//Area Y3)// Living Quarters

Under a false bottom in the wardrobe, the party finds **Issiel's Spellbook**. 
((0-level -- All except conjuration and transmutation, 1st -- //charm person//, 
//ray of enfeeblement//, //magic missile//, //shield//, //alarm//, //burning 
hands//, //hypnotism//, //Tenser's floating disk//, //true strike//, 2nd --
//blur//, //invisibility//, //Tasha's hideous laughter//, //touch of idiocy//, 
//daze monster//, 3rd -- //deep slumber//, //dispel magic//, //lightning bolt//))

//Area Y4)// The Winding Stair

This long stairway merely connects the "Staging Area" with "The Lower Landing".

//Area Y5)// The Lower Landing

Here is where Issiel, "The Master of the Way" fought.  It also houses seven 
portals -- five of which have a single bolt of electricity arcing across their 
middles, while the remaining two radiate strong magic, but have no electricity. 
(See area K21 for more on these portals).

//Area Y6)// The Upper Landing

This unused area once may have looked out over the fields below.  Now, though, 
it is entirely sealed off (apparently by magical stone shaping spells).((The 
combat encounter in this area was excised from the module-as-written))

//Area K19)// The Heart of Darkness

Returning back to the main part of the fortress, the party goes back to the 
Barracks (K16A) and takes the secret passage up to Level 4.  They emerge into a 
vast room where the air is desert-dry and carries a foul scent.  An //evil// 
effect permeates the region and causes most of the party to become "shaken".  In 
the center of the room stands a three-tiered ziggurat of black marble -- each 
tier ten feet tall.

//Area K20)// The Black Ziggurat

Resting on the far side of the Ziggurat is a Yuan-ti Abomination and a pair of 
Purebloods.  As they are on the first tier, they use ranged weapons to attack 
the party.  However, the party's ranged weapons prove superior and in the end, 
the Yuan-ti are killed.

From atop the ziggurat, [[Ketamine]] (in bird form) recovers a pair of 
**//[[http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/wondrousItems.htm#bracersofArcheryLesser|
lesser bracers of archery]]//**.

//Area K21)// The Gate Room

In addition to mundane sloping passageways up and down, the party finds three
more portals here.  While the middle one has a single bolt of electricity
across it like the five in area Y5, the other two are covered in an electric
field.

From this and the other seven portals (as well as the portal they took from "The 
Sinister Spire" to here), the party deduces that the portals have three states:

  * Inactive: No electricity present
  * Active: A single electric bolt
  * Open: An electric field

As only "Open" portals can be used, [[Ash]] retrieves the key he used to open 
the gate from Fadheela's lair.  After some experimentation, though, it appears 
to have no effect on these gates.  A series of gemstones are set into the stone 
around the gates, though, and the party decides that the means to activate the 
gates must somehow involve these gems.

Not willing to trust their fate to these gates just yet, the party opts to 
continue exploring the "mundane" way.

//Area K22)// The Outer Balcony

//Area P1)// Chamber of Purification

//Area P2)// Landing

//Area P3)// Main Sanctuary

Fight Vsolt, a Yuan-ti Dread Necromancer and two Yuan-ti Halfblood Skeletons. 
From Vsolt, the party gets a **potion** of //barkskin//, a **potion** of 
//levitate//, a **//wand//** (which contains some kind of Necromancy spell, 
**//+1 studded leather armor//**, a **//cloak of resistance +1//**, and 4 onyxes 
(worth 100 gp).

Because of Vsolt's importance to the Vanguard, the party //earns **three action 
points**// for defeating him.

//One session closer to the TPK...//

^ # ^ Challenge ^  CR  ^
| 1 | Issiel, Master of the Way |  6  |
| 1 | Snapwing |  7  |
| 1 | Yuan-ti Abomination |  7  |
| 2 | Yuan-ti Purebloods |  3  |
| 1 | Vsolt, Dread Necromancer |  7  |
| 2 | Yuan-ti Halfblood Skeletons |  3  |
^ ^ Total XP (each) ^  1,630<sup>7</sup>\\ 2,050<sup>6</sup>  ^

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