Ghevont’s first order of business upon returning to the homestead was to arrange with a master jeweler to set the original tiger eye rubies in the magic mirror. He found a suitable craftsman in St. Orlan and witin a few days, the mirror was once again operational. He found it to work similarly to Tienarth’s crystal ball except that any of them, including Azrak, were able to operate the mirror by grasping the knob. Through experimentation, he found he could cast a magic detection spell through the mirror, and he was able to watch Tienarth who did not seem to feel the attention of the mirror upon his person.
Ghevont directed the gaze of the mirror upon the elf cleric Rellora and viewed only the glowing portal from the vantage of the cave in Haderax. This suggested her essence was fused with the now-sealed portal. It also suggested the power of the mirror to reach beyond the mundane realm.
With little else to inspire them, the party agreed to return to Slateholm to explore the well. Among them were Tienarth, Ghevont, Stoyk and Raffi. Aderian still suffered from the harrowing sight of Longstream’s leg loss, retreating to an extended indulgence of liquor.
Arriving near dusk, they passed up the nearby Early Toad Bar, noting the queer custom of the locals to name drinking establishments after toads and frogs. They rented rooms for the night at The Romantic Blossom Inn and spent a comfortable night.
In the morning, they returned to the well, hammered spikes in the shaft and all assembled at the bottom in a three feet of water. Blind, albino fish bumped against legs as they sloshed down narrow passages. As they approached a chamber, Ghevont detected a trap consisting of piled rocks. He and Stoyk avoided where the rocks might fall, as Tienarth spun to fend off an attack by a waterborn fiend. Raffi rushed to his side.
The gruesome head of a man-beast sat atop a hulking snake body. It surged through the water and lunged to bite Tienarth on the forearm. Oozing venom stung in the wound, but the old elf shrugged off the effects. In his next breath, Tienarth summoned a Haste spell. Raffi landed a blow, and the monster dunked below the water line and disappeared. They gave chase, but could not track it.
Following a different path, they arrived again at the same room with the boulders stacked as a trap. Whatever the trigger, it was not activated and they were able to search his chamber for some time undisturbed. In a small offshoot, Raffi found the decaying body of a hobgoblin. Besides a rusted sword and rotting leather armor, the humanoid wore a crystal over one eye. When placed on their own eyes, it produced dizziness only.
Once again, the snake beast returned, this time casting a spell of magical sleep that dropped Stoyk, the young paladin, into the water face down. Tienarth struggled to keep him from drowning as Ghevont and Raffi attacked. Ghevont dove at it, wrapping his arms about the scaled body. Raffi slashed with his sword. The next moment, it wriggled free from Ghevont’s grasp and disappeared again.
Now they faced a grave challenge. The snake beast had retreated into water 4 feet deep where Raffi the dwarf, short of stature in wearing heaving armor, could not pursue. Ghevont went on alone, carefully stepping on rocks slick with slime with fast water rushing over them. He stumbled once and regained his footing. Soon he stood at the edge of room of even deeper water swirling in a whirlpool. He retreated and the all decided to return to the surface. It was obvious they needed a hedge against drowning.
Back at the surface, they paid Benabil to identify the crystal. It was one of a pair that made a set which greatly improved vision. Without the matching crystal, the one they had was useless.
With much to consider, they retired once again to The Romantic Blossom. On the morning of the 26th of Elephant, they rode back to the homestead where Ferris was working with Bismi the herbalist, from whom Longstream once sought help with a curse. She was aiding Ferris this weak in brewing healing potion as described by his Manual of Alchemy. A few days later, they had produced six vials.
Endnotes
- Treasure: one eye of the eagle
- Kills: none
- Characters
- Tienarth/Tre
- Ferris/Henry
- Stoyk/Henry
- Ghevont/Jeff
- Raffi/Bob