The Youngest Padraig

Adventure Log

Ernest Padraig wanted to leave immediately. When he heard the story of our meeting with Sir Keegan, he was visibly upset but ready to confront his ancestor. We led him back to the keep, past the pit of rotted corpses, down the stairs, beyond the tombs of countless skeletons, and to the crypt where Sir Keegan waited. "Oh, how my line has fallen!" the paladin lamented when he saw his nervous heir weakly brandishing the family sword.

The meeting was short. Sir Keegan gifted us the sword and gave us these instructions: end the ritual, break the mirror, find Kallarel and kill him. (Yes, it was Kallarel who had opened the rift of Orcus and threatened to bring destruction and endless horror upon the region.) Seeing the Baron's discomfort, the Morgan asked if it was possible to capture Kallarel rather than kill him. "Perhaps, but he is a great danger now that he knows how to open the rift." The Baron offered us an extra 50 silver if we could spare his son's life, but we made it clear that closing the rift was our greatest concern. Should Kallarel put himself in our way, we could make no promises.

After a small debate, we escorted the Baron back to Winterhaven, not convinced that he could return safely on his own. After a night's rest, we visited Valthrun the Prescient where we discussed how to break the mirror. A simple hammer would not do. It must be broken against the rift itself, at exactly the right time after the ritual has been stopped and the rift closed. For now, we left the mirror with Valthrun.

Returning to the keep yet again, this time we met a group of slavers on the road. A group of Hobgoblins calling themselves "Blood Reavers" were leading a group of human slaves to be used in a sacrificial ritual. Their leader was a lieutenant who managed to evade dozens of our attacks. Morthos took out the archer, Kanaan and Sylvar picked off the minions, while I fell a step behind, getting in my heals a moment too late for the Morgan. She had garnered the attention of the lieutenant, and the rest focused their blows against the young hero. Luckily, we succeeded just as we drained most of our resources. The prisoners were freed. I believe that this is not the last we will see of the Blood Reavers--even if we have to seek them out ourselves to end the barbaric slave trade.

Back at the keep, we followed Sir Keegan's directions and headed down to the source of the rift. Morthos scouted ahead and heard an interesting story about a spider that jumped on a victim's face. We soon met the acquaintance of Frank, that very spider. Fighting precariously between a staircase and an open well, we dodged the attacks of the death jump spider and several tough hobgoblins.

Committed to ending the ritual, we pushed on. After setting off a portcullis, we came to a room full of maps and battle plans and were ambushed by what I hope to be the last group of hobgoblins. Sylvar jumped onto the table in order to take better aim at our opponents, and together, we took them down.

Now, as I rest upon this table of maps, I am jotting these notes so as not to forget the trials we faced in order to make peace in this world. The others have finished bandaging their wounds and searching the bodies. Now we go to face Kallarel. May Pelor light our way.

"A single candle is stronger than a room of darkness." -Illumination #2