Shattered Star #93: Pirate Treasure (and Tentacles)!

At the end of last session, we left our heroes about to identify a cache of magic items.

Using her considerable magical acumen, Karelia discovered four of the five items were actually cursed items! Given this, suspicion that the fifth item—apparently a ring of feather falling—was also cursed was rampant. The party reluctantly decided to leave all behind.

They quickly completed their exploration of the lower level and proceeded up the stairs to the next level. Here they discovered a series of chambers. In one, they discovered a man strapped down to a table. It was obvious he had been horribly tortured, but no matter how much restorative magic the party used they could only heal his mind and not his body. They quickly carried him back down to Shiyara. She promised to watch over the man, while they continued their exploration.

In the next room, Makani and Karelia discovered what appeared to be a hidden, powerfully magical door. Karelia used knock to open it, but her attempt failed. This resulted in a loud, cacophonous explosion that injured many of the party and rendered Vesleng, Pip and Shardane deaf.

At this latest set back, the heroes decided to retreat and rest. The next morning they used powerful magics to remove the deafness besetting the injured heroes. Shiyara also used a restoration to restore the man’s mind. It turned out this was Gein Kafog—the Hextorian high priest of the abbey.

After he had recovered somewhat, Gein told the party of the initial attack on the abbey and of being tortured. He also gave them a general idea of the layout of the remaining dungeon levels and mentioned three places of interest: a magical forge, a small network of prison cells—in which surviving priests might be incarcerated—and a reputed pirate cave. Something lurked in the cave, but treasure was also rumoured to lie within.

The party immediately decided to find the pirate cave and retrieve this treasure instead of clearing the rest of the complex. Following Gein’s directions, they quickly found the stairs leading down to the cave and explored therein.

The sea cave was linked to the outside by a submerged passage, and a smashed chest stood on a raised beach separated by a short stretch of choppy water. Makani jumped across the gap and discovered much treasure in the broken chest. However, his movement and Ariquis’ flight into the chamber awoke the guardian—a monstrously vast octopus—from its slumber.

Hungry, it burst forth, but the creature was horribly outmatched. Lashed by lightning, fire and divine power it retreated as quickly as it emerged, but it could not escape. Thaladan—donning his cloak of the manta ray—leaped into the water and with Ariquis’s help slew the beast.

With the octopus slain, the party retreated and sorted through their loot. Chief amongst their prizes was a ring of wizardry and an amulet of mighty fists. Satisfied, the heroes plotted their next move. Perhaps now, was the time to continue clearing the abbey of troublesome demonic infestation that has caused so much woe…