Legacy
Part 4 – Underwater Ruins
Details
Underwater Ruins
The party may discover the underwater ruins either by exploring from the shore or more likely from access to the cave below Sazhinok’s pool. The vertical shaft below the Turtle’s resting cave is about 40’ deep with a 15’ wide tunnel leading away. The tunnel leads under the shoreline to another vertical shaft that opens under water and is the primary egress for Sazhinok.
After the destruction of the Citadel, the highest towers fell in the direction of Stonehaven Lake and crashed upon its shore or slid down the slopes near and into the water. When the underground rivers emptied their reservoirs, the lake’s water levels increased to cover much of the nearby land. Including the old fallen Citadel ruins.
About 20 years later, a lone wizard visited the area on the advice of a chatty gnomish engineer who had calculated the probable locales of the Citadel’s main buildings. He was insistent that the wizard check the eastern slope for ruins and sure enough, several large sections of the Citadel towers were submerged in the silt of the lake’s shores. With the help of the clever gnome, the wizard created several areas of breathable air where he could explore the ruins and recover some of the Necromancer’s personal equipment and magic. Unfortunately, the enterprising wizard and his gnome sidekick found a deeply buried vault that contained the animated dead remains of the Necromancer’s most trusted lieutenant, Rowena, who dispatched the pair and gathered her mistresses’ belongings for safer keeping.
The hags recruited a pair of sister Nagas, Ananta and Shesha to help them retrieve the living bodies of the adventuring groups as they explored the ruins. The naga discovered the graveknight by accident and struck a deal with her – they would trade a live captive with her in return for allowing them to continue their deal with the hags. The GK was so bored but now looks forward to the new distractions and challenges the naga bring her each day. Until the competition started, the nagas had to abduct foolish fishers or visitors to the area who did not stay within the safety of the Keep. Now they are tasked with capturing foolish adventurers in the competition, bringing them to a holding area until one of the hags can come and retrieve them and siphon their souls into Soulgems.
During the start of the first day of the competition, the adventuring group Four Winds approached the eastern caves, but the naga sisters who were working on a plan to overpower the giants, saw them approach and killed Yabin who they recognized as a hated foe. They successfully subdued the remaining party members and brought Heuberk to the GK. Nilak and Etward were held hostage until the Hags arrived late that night and siphoned their souls. Yabin’s body is floating about 30’ from the shore in front of the cave opening. DC30 Per to find if looking in water off shore. The other two dead adventurers are laying in area SL4 where their souls were siphoned. Nilak has been taken in toad form to the hags’ lair in the swamp. If the bodies are examined, it looks like Yabin has numerous fang marks across his body, but the rest look like they died from wounds delivered by their own party’s weapons (dagger, mace, club, staff). (they were compelled to kill each other using Dominate) None appear to have drowned. The corpses have been stripped of all goods except for their clothes and armor and taken back to the hags’ lair.
- Etward Ritalson (human, leather, lots of alchemy items)
- Heuberk Thropp (human rogue?)
- Nilak (human, leather, club & bow)
- Yabin (half-snake, no armor, staff)
At the eastern end of the underground tunnel from the Turtle’s lair, part of an old tower lies wedged into rocks that collapsed long ago. Beyond the structure, another small cave ends at a round tower floor. If someone steps through the archway to the tower floor they find themselves in a bubble of breathable air!
Day 2 – Early in the morning of the second day of competition, Selarea has convinced her group, Night Stalkers, to find a different cave from the one that most people know about. She received a very realistic dream that she interpreted as a portent from her mysterious patron. So by sunrise they are already near the entrance and headed in – straight into a well-planned ambush by the hags’ naga allies.
Using Humanoid Form spell, the nagas appeared as another pair of adventurers in trouble. Casting Illusory Scene, the naga appeared to be trapped in a magical field and while the Night Stalkers attempted to free them the naga carefully cast Suggestions and Charms to entrap as many as they can as allies. They were able to charm Selarea and Azi, but the other two needed to be defeated more conventionally and they are now unconscious at 0 HP, beat up, de-geared and bound in the underground tower at SL3 awaiting their fate from the hags when they return. Selarea and Azi succumbed to the heightened Charm spells so they will go willingly with the hags this evening. They are currently relaxing and under close watch with the naga/humans in their sleeping quarters. The nagas gave Azi to the GK this morning.
Secret Tunnel
This whole area is under water. Anyone exploring here will need to swim and be able to exist underwater or hold their breath.
SC1 – The Dragon Turtle has a hidden cache in a hard to find ledge under water near its cave. DC32 to find the hidden cache.
Sazhinok’s Cache – 230gp, 6 gems x 30gp, Limestone Shield (7), Wand of Reaching (6), Lesser Potion of Sonic Resistance (6), Verdant Staff (6)
The water in this area is murky so vision of any type is limited to 100’.
SC2 – At the eastern end of this underwater cavern, there is another 20’ wide access tunnel going up about 20’ and ending in open water. Dim light filters into this area from the outside.
SC3 – At the end of the cavern, pieces of the ruins line the floor and an old square tower appears wedged into an old landslide. Through the structure, the edge of a submerged tower can be seen with a large 10’ wide archway leading east. Anyone stepping through this archway will feel a slight resistance, but then enter an area protected by a magical force that keeps out the water.