What Lurks Beneath? XP/Loot

[Carthrat]

Didn't Die: 300xp
Broke Crystal and Saved Darromar from some degree of domination: 400xp

Calenstat: 400xp
Hyanshin: 350xp

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Behind the secret door, the party uncovers what appears to be some kind of living space. It's like a homestead, almost, solid wooden chairs and a roaring fire located here. There's a small bookshelf, filled with strange magical notes of a style that is totally unfamiliar to Maz. Strange iconography is paramount in this room; black disks (but not sharran disks), strange statues of people clasping black rods... additionally, there are typical living supplies; food, clothes- there's even a portrait of a family, one of which is clearly the blade-wielding man you fought outside.

There's also two bedrooms, one of which is rather sparse. But...

There's a pair of easily-located chests in one bedroom; after some minor detections and the like, they are presumably opened.

One contains gold and platinum pieces, to the value of around four thousand gold pieces.

The other contains a pair of bracers, along with three magical scrolls, strangely unused by the wizard during combat. The spells are Fireball, Scorching Ray, and Lightning Bolt.

Hyanshin-

(Magic) Seraphin's Short Sword, now with Opal
Masterwork Short Sword
6 Masterwork Daggers
Mithril Shirt
(Magic) Gloves - "Supple leather makes up these gloves, black and green in pigmentation. They are very smooth and very light for their make."
(Magic) Demonic Amulet
Pouch with 50pp

Calenstat

(Magic) Cloak - "The cloak is made of fine black fabric. It seems to shimmer slightly when you try to pick it up- though you reached for the edge, you grabbed somewhere in the middle. It's the sort of thing that is typically worn by busy noblemen."

Pouch with 100pp
A book is in his robes, a thick, weatherbeaten journal. Most of it consists of what appears to be the mundane life of a wage mage, but towards the end, it takes a sudden turn...

"I am... unhappy with the current state of affairs.

Master Elric has not been entirely honest about the nature of his new allies, I fear. Though these shadowy constructs are useful, Elric has almost certainly bolstered his own abilities by melding with shadowstuff. Every time one touches the black plane, they sacrifice a part of themselves for power...

Is it worth it? I am powerless at present. Ardandanus will pay dearly for the theft of my book, yet without it, I myself am powerless. Hence, I ascede to Elric's plan, and maintain my dominations... as well as what he calls the Black Pit of Life.

Every powerful person he kills, he flings into the pit, and the constructs I call forth from it absorb a portion of their strength. Their spirits and minds are shattered to fulfill Elric's ambition. His guild exists to find and supplicate the strong... if they are of the right mind, they join his bizzare crusade.

If they are not, they are flung forth. Every passing day, he learns to extract more strength from those there. He has spoken of an experiment, conducted some time ago that revolved around forging strength, but he mentions that is was disrupted, and he now considers it a failure.

Once, there was a time when I would be uncomfortable with this.

That time is long past.

And with conventional magics forbidden to me, I grow more interested in.. Noctumancy. Shadowstuff.

It possesses an allure that I may well seize upon, if conventional magics are damned to me. Perhaps I will sacrifice part of myself for it, too..."


"Shadow is unique. I see it all, now, and discard my former spells as folly. Powerful folly, but folly nonetheless. That magic works on this farce of a world, a simulacra, a mere shard in an ocean of many.

The real reflection of all things lies in the form of darkness beyond this world; the gaps between planes. The Wyld surges that plauge this land are byproducts of it- the true magic- nothing more. Elric and his new cohort have refined it to their use, but I have learned to channel it. On my own! Me! My own!"


"Elric left for Calimshan, leaving Etna to pick up the pieces. He took a portion of the black crystal from here, and instructed me to maintain what is left.

Seeing as he took the most potent part, I have been using those dominated by me to fuel the power of the pit. Yet without the crystal intact, I cannot create duplicates, only raw constructs of powerful shadow. Nonetheless, I will continue."


"Etna has died. I am left without any of Elric's support. She killed at least one of those who might have found me, though- my bodyguard appreciated her sword...

Elric is upset at the issues here. No doubt he is seeking the strong in Calimshan already, and wishes to know if our operation here has been compromised at all...

No matter. I will serve him, because I must. Shadow is now mine to control... will it be as potent as my former spells? Time will tell."