This is the fourth part of the continuing saga of my meat space group and their forays against the Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil. If you are currently playing or considering playing in this adventure, you may wish to stop reading here. To continue will only spoil your enjoyment of the adventure. As always, commentary, suggestions, and constructive criticism are welcome.
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****Spoiler Space****
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When we left our heroes, they were knee-deep in trouble. After the disastrous meeting with Jarro and the townsfolk, from which they only narrowly escaped, they decided to adjourn to the nearby woods and lay low for a day. All except Geldor, that is, who risked capture sneaking back into town to try to reach the temple of Cuthbert and canoness Y’dey. He was successful, but coming in at 2 in the morning and screaming about he and his friends (he was alone) being chased by an angry mob (there wasn’t one), the acolytes thought that he may be a bit off the beam and so they locked him in a meditation cell for the night.
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Meanwhile, with the dawn, the others decided that it would be best if Silaqui, the druid, went to speak with Jaroo druid-to-druid to see if she could eke out some more info from him. Since she and Talina had not been seen at the meeting the night before, they were unlikely to be recognized and seized as possible cultists. The false Jarro had planned at first to slay the interloper and take her place to infiltrate the party, but these clever little adventurers came prepared. From outside, the drow Talina watched through the window, unaware that her own movements were being scrutinized.
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Back at the temple, Geldor manages to convince the acolytes that he is quite sane and rational and is permitted to see Y’dey, who agrees to attempt to arrange a meeting with Burne and Rufus. Satisfied for the nonce, Geldor returns to the group, only to find them gone. Using his tracking, he is able to follow their trail to the druid’s grove, where Sarina and Albert watch Talina from the cover of the trees, as Talina watches “Jaroo” and Silaqui from outside.
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Reading Silaqui’s mind, “Jaroo” decided it would be best to further alienate their suspicions (since he knew she was being watched over) and proceeded to feed her even more false info, citing that he had heard rumors of the cult but that Nulb and the Temple seemed to far away to worry over (basically the same lines he gave Elmo). He also mentioned that his assistant, Yundi, bore watching. This was a key element, since it was Yundi who originally tipped off the group that something was suspicious about Jaroo!
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Outside, Talina was caught in the act of spying by Yundi, who stood with her until Silaqui emerged. As the two moved to meet with the emerging druids, Jaroo gave Yundi a questioning look, but the acolyte remained silent. As they later compared notes, I found that the lies Jaroo had told Silaqui allayed their suspicions, alright. In fact, the fact that Yundi didn’t speak up about Talina spying on them convinced them that Yundi, not Jaroo, is the plant!
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Tired of hiding in the woods, Albert and Geldor sought sanctuary in the temple until their meeting with Burne and Rufus, while Talina, Silaqui, and Sarina (in disguise) decided to sit at the Inn of the Welcome Wench and see what rumors they could soak up. Talina tried a little information gathering but found people in Hommlet either uninformed or unwilling to speak of the Temple and the supposed cult. Sitting at the Inn, enjoying a drink, the trio get to meet Burne, Rufus, and Elmo, doing the same.
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After inviting themselves to the conversation, they get to know these prominent townsfolk (though they still wisely avoid displaying any knowledge of the goings-on the night before) and decide that they can trust them. Asked about Jaroo, Elmo sings his praises, further securing the party in their knowledge that the druid is in no way involved in cult activity. They engage in small talk until Brune is called to the temple to consult with Y’dey.
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Needless to say, it isn’t long thereafter that Rufus and the others are summoned as well, to plead their case before Burne and Rufus. “Jaroo” is not present, having told Silaqui earlier in the day that he was being “called away on business and would be gone for about a week.” After a confession explaining that they were only trying to draw the druid out and the provision of some hard evidence by the group of cult activity at the moathouse, they are pardoned and Burne and Rufus ask the heroes to keep them informed of any new findings. They also suggest that Nulb might be a good place to go next.
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Before heading off to Nulb, the group decides to sell off some of their salvage and to see about getting Geldor’s sword repaired. There was a brief incident, while conversing with the scrollmaker (an elf), when Geldor draws forth the amulet of Lloth and asks the elf what he thinks it might be worth. Fortunately (?), the other party members manage to keep the scrollmaker from slaying Geldor on the spot. Silaqui again expresses her dissatisfaction with Geldor, calling him a fool, and the gap between them grows larger. They also want to get their magical items identified, but the scrollmaker and Spugnoir are both asking too much for this service. It is then that Talina, unable to hold it any more, laughingly reminds them that she is a sorceress and knows identify.
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Geldor, still angry at Silaqui and mad at because he still doesn’t know what the black sphere does (Talina hasn’t told anyone yet), is hesitant, but eventually concedes that it’s better than the 70 gp per item that Spugnoir is charging. Talina retreats into her room at the Inn to do the identification, while Geldor and Sarina, now unencumbered by wanted status, take care of minor business. They decide to sell the scroll of the Black Cyst in exchange for a scroll of fireball and the promise of the scrollmaker that he will tell them exactly what it is all about when he has had time to examine it.
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With the coming of the dawn, the group is ready to head to Nulb. What they don’t know is that the cult, very much active in Hommlett, now considers them a real threat and is even now making arrangements to have them eliminated. “Jaroo” has in fact left Hommlett temporarily, but his “urgent business” involves insuring that the cult’s tracks at the moathouse are covered over, and seeing to the arrangements to dispose of these troublesome adventurers.
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Though the heat is off of him, “Jaroo” knows that Yundi is suspicious now and will soon have to be eliminated. He is considering how to frame the boy as a cult member and tie him via false evidence to the adventurers (which will be discovered on their bodies, of course).
John Grigsby
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