After purchasing new armor and all three pearls in Yellowreach, the party returned to the Wise Old Owl, where the innkeeper Ingwaudd showed increasing irritation with Torin for not stopping the attacks of the NightThings. “Lethwen, the daughter of the midwife, disappeared two nights ago,” he grumbled, “When are you going to stop the slaughter?” Torin was frustrated himself, and lost patience with his old friend. “Why don’t you complain about it?” he asked, “We’ve lost a lot of good people trying to stop those things!”
After a few drinks, Torin settled down and the party met some more travellers in the inn. There was Tebin the druid, and his dog Shadow, and a bored cleric of Pelor named Ralden. There was also a fighter called Quaal. Fortunately for the party, all three were looking for work and joined up, even after Torin and Lisri talked about the danger of the assignment.
The next day, the seven left for the Halls once more (Beolba consented to go with them again). They spent a day cleaning the halls of the dead bodies that had piled up and attracted a host of flies. The dismembered and mutilated body of Lethwen was found on and next to the altar in the room of the Shadowdancers. The party burnt them all on a pyre outside the halls. Only afterwards did Tebin ask where his friend Lug’s body was. Lisri pointed to the pyre. It was a sad moment.
The next few days were spent searching the Halls, but to no avail. They tried to destroy the statues of the Shadowdancers, but were unable to do so, nor could they even move them. Finally, in desperation, they turned to the Hall of Mirrors and began to explore the lands beyond once more.
First they visited mirror #1, which led to a frozen cliff over Krakenheim, a great city of the Fruztii. After a long walk in the snow, they warmed up at the Snow Serpent, purchased warm boots and clothes, and visited Helga Greencloak, a wizard who offered to cast Legend Lore for 3,600 gp and a magic item. Unfortunately, they didn’t have that sort of cash, and so they returned to the Halls.
Next they went through mirror #2, which led to a secret closet in the magical college of Zeir-i-Zeif. Lisri was able to speak to an orc, and thanks to Lisri’s adlibbing, Orcish was defined as being la Francaise. Pierre L’Orque directed him to the local market, where they again purchased appropriate clothing, and after accidentally revealing they were strangers to the merchant, they hid in the Inn of the Green Parrot. Luckily, Monsieur Ferrari was an accommodating rogue, and for a few gold pieces each, he first provided some information, and then hid them from the constabulary. Apparently, strangers were feared by the Sultan of Zeif, and they also had revealed themselves by asking for alcohol, which was forbidden, along with strong language. They returned to the college post haste where a magic mouth on the closet told them to visit the office of Akyid al-Neti as soon as possible. They ignored this and returned to the Halls, but not before Alarna knocked herself unconscious slamming her head into the door.
Mirror #3 had already led to two deaths, so instead they went through mirror #4, which led to a small open garden in a city apartment. Alarna knocked herself unconscious again, and the party found that the people in the street spoke no known language, there were no plants from Oerth in the garden, and there was no moon in the sky. Lisri cast an Identify on Alarna’s new helm and found it was a cursed Helm of Door Opening. Not good. He then cast Comprehend Languages and learned from a passing local that they were in the City State of the Invincible Overlord. After questioning the neighbors, he confirmed that the apartment belonged to Tirian, though no one knew much about him there.
And there we ended for the night.
lostdelights 