“You think to defeat me? I have laid low Balors and Pit Fiends alike, how would hope to stand against me? You have freed me, so if you stand aside I will allow you to live.” Said the mysterious and ominous voice.
The heroes knew they needed to wet their weapons in Alystaire’s pool in order to slay Aldinach the Mason, present her head to Ullethane, and gain entrance into Reaver Hall, but allowing a fallen deva to roam free was not an option. Battle was joined as Maraziel the deva revealed herself and towered over the heroes in her grotesque, skinless form.
Maraziel shivered and said, “I am so cold, I require skin… your skin!” She screamed an incantation in the Celestial tongue and the heroes were suddenly wracked with pain as their skin split. Despite the intense pain, the heroes threw themselves into the battle. Maraziel spun and twirled in a deadly dance, striking with claw and fang, smashing away at her foes with a huge Celestial forged Morningstar, and buffeting with her featherless bone wings. The heroes barely survived the continuous onslaught but finally prevailed. Maraziel’s lifeless body dissolved into mist, but her skull remained. Amalielle, collected the skull and consecrated it and the tower, forever freeing it of its evil. Among the treasure’s found in Alystaire’s tower the companions learned that the pool acted not only as a scrying device, but also as a portal to an unknown plane, but required a key to activate, but this mystery would have to wait.
After a thorough search of the tower the companions decided to rest before leaving the tower to face the citizens of Reavers’ Rest. Upon leaving the tower the heroes found that many of the townsfolk had erected pavilions and tents around the tower to await the heroes return or sign of their fate. A loud cheer went up as the heroes emerged and Jarl Crowdac pushed his way through the crowd to question the triumphant heroes.
“What evil resides in the tower?” the Jarl urgently questioned.
“No evil resides there any longer, thanks to us.” Replied Cassim as he casually brushed dust from his cloak.
Another raucous cheer went up until Aunrae, in one of her insanity induced personas added “well except for the ever-present and growing threat from the air elementals!”
“What air elemental threat do you speak of drow?” inquired the Jarl amidst the concerned murmur of the crowd.
Amalielle, the only member of the party not to have suffered from the symbol of insanity that marked the threshold of the tower quickly suggested that the conversation be moved to a more private location. The companions retired to Jarl Crowdac’s office. Amalielle quietly explained to the Jarl that her companions had each been afflicted with a magical insanity and there was, in fact, no air elemental threat. Crowdac suggested they consult Deacon Sodoc of the church of Ilmater for a cure.
Sodoc informed Amalielle that the magic affliction was beyond his power to cure, but there was an old witch named Banog who lived in the nearby wood who often provided strange potions to cure townsfolk of perceived curses and the like. The companions each believing they were going to see Banog for a cure for each other’s insanity agreed to the plan. Banog told Amalielle in confidence that she had a potion that would put them all into a trance-like slumber where they would confront the magical insanity in a dreamscape, but if they failed they would be forever cursed with insanity.
They sat down to a nice “cup of tea” and quickly fell into a deep slumber. They “awoke” in a dream-like cavern where they encountered a huge shadowy pillar with long tentacles an a massive tooth-filled maw. Each time the heroes were struck with a tentacle they felt their minds slip further into insanity. The creature’s razor sharp teeth tore through Callista and Killara. Cassim was hard pressed to pull himself away from the seductive glow of the fires that burned in the cavern. Aunrae was finally able to summon a dire wraith, combined with Callista’s holy sword, Amalielle’s inspiring song, and Killara’s curses the heroes were finally able to overcome the insanity made flesh.
Upon awakening from their slumber the companions found their minds clear and free of Alystaire’s magical affliction. Now having dipped their weapons in Alystaire’s pool they stand ready to face Aldinach the Mason!
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