Shattered Star #68: Beyond the Trapped Door

At the end of last session, we left out heroes resting in the Therrasic Spire.

The Shattered Star

 

Refreshed, the next morning the heroes returned to the dungeon and made their way to the very extent of their explorations to date. One as yet unopened in the room with the strange fish seemed to be the only way to proceed. After a hurried discussion, the party opened the door to reveal a small room. Within, lurked a large naga—the party quickly realised this was Silasni last of the Brothers of the Seal. Unlike her companions she was neither mad nor dead. A stone door barred her progress and at the party’s appearance she immediately bade them open it for her so she could continue her quest.

The party were not keen to ally themselves with the naga, but it seemed that nevertheless they must breach the door to continue. A great amount of surveyings and explorations ensued. Eventually, the party half-divined the secret of opening the door, but unfortunately while doing so they let off a powerful lightning trap that arced through the entire group (and even injured Silasni). Several party members—Karelia and Zainnnis’ leopard chief among them—were badly hurt and things got rapidly worse when Silasni—angry at being injured—attacked the party.

The naga lashed the group with several lightning bolts before she was struck down by Cortana. A great frenzy of healing ensued which was lucky because while continuing his investigations of the door Narfu set off the trap badly injuring everyone (again). Eventually, however Narfu and Karelia divined the secret of opening the door.

Beyond stood a natural cavern. A river—spanned by a stone bridge—cut across the cave and beyond another passageway led away. The party theorised this might be the River of Memory which they must cross if they were to reach the Black Menhir and thus retrieve the next shard.

Cautiously, Narfu entered the room, but disaster and danger almost immediately cloaked the party. As the brave scout reached the bridge spanning the river, the water level suddenly exploded upwards and the river burst its banks. At the same time two creatures comprising nothing but living water burst forth to attack. As the party advanced into the room to give battle, the water level continued to rise and another creature appeared. Matters seemed almost in hand until another water creature popped into existence behind the party. This caused some measure of constellation to ripple through the party’s ranks; now they were cut off!

Grooble cunningly conjured into being a stone wall between the party and the bulk of the attackers and an orderly(ish) retreat began. However as the party fought their way back passed the creature in their rear, the stone wall shivered and cracked as the water creatures pounded upon it…

Published by

Creighton

Creighton is the publisher at Raging Swan Press and the designer of the award winning adventure Madness at Gardmore Abbey. He has designed many critically acclaimed modules such as Retribution and Shadowed Keep on the Borderlands and worked with Wizards of the Coast, Paizo, Expeditious Retreat Press, Rite Publishing and Kobold Press.