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Note: This adventure comes from “Fortress of the Yuan-ti”, by Ari Marmell, as published by Wizards of the Coast.

Area P4) Reliquary

The party interrupts what appears to be a woman performing a ritual sacrifice. Six additional potential sacrifices are manacled to the far wall. Once the sacrificer is defeated, the party's hopes to interrogate her are dashed when the woman who was to be sacrificed lunges forward and delivers a killing blow with the ceremonial dagger.

At this point, Ash notices two things: the “victim” radiates a strong aura of evil and the ceremonial dagger was made in the same style as Allie's sword, Merthúvial. He asks for her to hand the dagger over – even going so far as to offer her a replacement weapon. Before she can act, though, Líkami tackles her and a brief, one-sided fight ensues.

In the end, she is dead and the party recovers six ragged prisoners (who did not know the woman to be sacrificed, though they learned her name was “Arzanezra”) and a suit of magical rhino hide armor from Shiuahn, the sacrificer.

Note: While the “king's dagger” radiates a faint magic aura, its condition has deteriorated over the centuries and it offers no noticeable benefit over a regular dagger.

The party escorts the six surviving prisoners outside (and earns two action points in the process).

Area P5) Portal Chamber

At the lowest level of this tower, the party fights four Baboon Wights (which inflict terrible level loss on Yosi) and discover an active (though not open) portal.

The party decides this room is defensible enough to rest for the night. However, after no more than an hour, a Yuan-ti Abomination and two Yuan-ti Halfbloods descend the stairs. After a prolonged battle that brings them all the way back up the tower and into the Gate Room in the main fortress, the party decides that they need to move to a better position.

They choose the locked (and unused) guest quarters on the third level and are rewarded with an uneventful night.

They return to the Gate Room to explore the only remaining active portal. Like before, they ask Thoburk, the Orc, to go through and report his findings. He gladly agrees, but sadly never returns.

Area D1) Entry Chamber

The rest of the party prepares for battle and steps through the portal, where they find (and eventually) kill a Scale Golem. They find themselves at the top level of what they assume is the third (and final) tower.

At the bottom of a 20' pit, Ketamine discovers an illusory floor and manages to remain hidden while she scouts the next level down. In this room, she sees a Mind Flayer and his bodyguard, a Yuan-ti barbarian.

Area D2) Arcane Supplies

While the party prepares for the coming fight, they quickly explore the doors on the top level. While Yosi inadvertently triggers a magical chain lightning trap, the party as a whole finds a number of interesting items:

• The components of an alchemist's lab (500 gp)
• Three full sets of standard spell components (5 gp each)
• Five pearls (100 gp each)
• A pouch of diamond dust (250 gp)
• Enough special inks for a wizard to scribe five pages of a spellbook (500 gp).
• A large pouch of foul-smelling purple powder (which Ketamine determines will ignite and create noxious fumes if mixed with blood).

Because of this importance of the powder to the Vanguard, the party earns one action point by taking it.

Area D3) Arcanists' Living Quarters

In one of these rooms, the party finds a helm of comprehend languages and read magic (which Freyrik opts to wear)

Area D4) Tolvul's Living Quarters

This room holds a variety of skulls – apparently cleaned out by the Mind Flayer. One of the skulls wears a circlet of persuasion (which Ketamine puts on).

Area D5) The Laboratory

Using a combination of jumping, levitate potions, and climbing, the party descends into the laboratory to confront the Mind Flayer, whose name they later learn is Tolvul. While they manage to get in with a modicum of surprise, the Mind Flayer is able to blast the party with his mental powers, leaving Yosi and Ash incapacitated.

As the battle progresses, Heilli manages to use his soul blade to disrupt several of the Flayer's mental powers while the rest of the party deals with “Lump”, the Yuan-ti Barbarian. In the course of the fight, Lump pushes the stunned Yosi into the pit shaft – where he falls to the next level down. Ketamine (in bird form) drops down to make sure he's OK.

Just before Lump falls, Tolvul directs a telepathic threat at Heilli and plane shifts away.

On a nearby table, Allie finds the king's crown (which she recognizes from the statue she saw in the "Barrow of the Forgotten King". They also find the makings of a full alchemist's lab (500 gp) and a large pearl (250 gp).

Note: The the king's crown is magic and functions as headband of intellect +2.

Area D7) The Library

After a short time keeping watch over Yosi, Ketamine notices a massive Yuan-ti Abomination on a balcony overlooking this library. To her surprise, though, he merely says, “I have wondered if you would show up here. Once your friends arrive, I believe we should talk.”

She quickly flies up, switches back to Gnome form, and reports on her encounter.

While the Levitate potions are still active, the party quickly assembles and drops down through the pit.

Area D8) Library Balcony

In the lowest level, the party find the Yuan-ti Abomination that Ketamine described. Though his eyes gleam with a fiendish light, he makes no offensive movements.

“I am Zoldathra, Master of the Word. I have been a member of the Vanguard of Sertrous for decades.

“As we have what amounts to a religious difference, I understand if you are unwilling to accept this proposal. However, I offer it in complete sincerity.

“Until recently, I thought that I was privy to the greatest secrets of my organization. I was wrong.

“One day, Sertrous will rise and the Vanguard will rule in his name. You cannot stop that. But perhaps we can work together in the interim, to prevent the travesty envisioned by the Vanguard's current leaders.

“Only recently have I learned that the creature they intend to bring forth with the Sacrament of the Risen Abyss is intended not to rule the world, but to help destroy it. I dare not move against my leaders directly, but perhaps with my assistance, you can accomplish what I cannot.

Heilli: “Please, continue”

Ash: (nods agreement)

Yosi: “You lying piece of filth. Nobody can destroy the world. You just want us to do your dirty work for you. Sure, we will go and kill them. The only question is whether we kill you now or later. I vote now.”

Heilli: “Yosi, please… if only for a moment – listen.”

Ash: “Yosi, the King sent us for his bones. If this serpent does not have them, then we can just as well go around him. We must save our strength for Zoltana¹⁾.”

Yosi: “That's right, get the bones back. Not finding mushrooms, assassinating leaders, rescuing villagers, or killing snake-people (but I liked doing that last part a lot). Not even saving the world. If it even needs saving. Besides, didn't the dead king say that the followers of Sertrous were bad?”

“Yes, Elf! Use your rage. Your hatred. It will make you powerful!

“But be wary that it is targeted at the proper enemy.

“The one you must stop is Sulvaugren. His madness devised the Sacrament of the Risen Abyss. He lied to our people and squandered our considerable resources to gather the pieces to his dangerous puzzle. He, even now, has reduced the might of Castle Serastis to that of a human village.

“As for the reality of his danger, have you forgotten your history, Elf? The end of Immenri was brought about by ONE being. And when Sertrous rises, his power will be even greater than the orc-father.

“I offer the following deal. I will provide information to assist you in stopping the Sacrament. I will delay and divert the returning patrols so that they will not continue to bother you. I will instruct you on the use of the portals in the Tower of the Way.

“With my information, you will intercept the Vanguard patrols that are, as we speak, retrieving the remaining items that Sulvaugren needs for his ritual. You will then proceed to the Tower of the Worlds and stop Sulvaugren. If you survive, you may take the king's bones and his items and will be granted free passage out of Serastis.

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