Session 2

From the Diary of Keygan Ghelve

“I always knew that I have been living on borrowed time. Sooner or later someone was going to discover that my shop was being used by 'dark races' to enter the city of Cauldron. But what could I do as long as my beloved Starbrow was being held captive. A few days ago the party known as the 'Knowlern Troupe' discovered my shame and has been twisting it to their advantage ever since.

At first I was relieved to finally have my secret shame confessed. And even if this 'Troupe' was mostly a frightening collection of brutes, there are a couple of its members who did seem sincere that they would return Starbrow to me and end the nightmare I have been living for some time.

The first night they left a Half-Orc named Krawg to look after me. Despite his fearsome exterior, Krawg was very gentle and childlike. I think Krawg looked at me like I was some sort of pet.

But the next day I would discover my real nightmare had just started. The other members of the Troupe had returned to enter the city of Jzadirune through the secret door located under the stairs of my shop. This time they left the stoic, and mostly silent, Jarzen to guard me.

The others had only been in Jzadirune for a very short time when they return looking for a heavy object. Seems they had encountered a trap of some sort and wanted to trip the trap by throwing something onto it. They settled on an anvil I had in my workshop. Teela, a lovely human Bard, compensated me for the anvil as Krawg carried it away.

At the top of the stairs, by the secret door, I could hear them throw the anvil onto the trap. I heard someone proclaim 'acid is in the pit' followed quickly by 'screams of battle'. The Troupe was under attack. Verrad was the first to be wounded, and from the sound of it he was close to death. ‘That is a pity' I thought with a smile on my face. The Bard was singing as Krawg’s battle cry filled the air. I heard the death scream of some unknown creature, I assume killed by that great axe of Krawg’s.

But then Krawg’s voice went silent and I fear the gentle giant has fallen. After a short skirmish members of the Troupe came up to my shop looking for something to cover the trap. They settled on my store counter. They ripped it from the floor and carried it down the stairs. The Elf Wizard walked over to the front door of the shop and posted my 'Closed' sign. It seems I am out of business for the time being.

Soon Verrad would be back in my shop, his weapon dripping with blood, and 'suggesting' I go downstairs to identify a glyph they found on a door in Jzadirune. I guess Verrad was not as close to death as I hoped he would be. He took me down the stairs, through a door that must have been some kind of secret, over the pit on my counter and into a room with a wood floor. The strange glyph they needed my help with turned out only to be the gnome symbol for the letter 'D'. They tried to convince me to join them but I refused to spend another second in this cursed city. They could either kill me or let me return to my shop. For a second I was not sure what they would do but reluctantly I was allowed to return to the shop.

The Troupe also came up to my shop with me to recover from their battle. Verrad was so badly wounded he will require help from the Temple of St. Cuthbert to fully heal, pity. It seems my shop is now to be used for their sleeping quarters whenever they retreat from the dangers of Jzadirune. Will the penance for my shame ever end?

The Troupe returns to Jzadirune after a long rest period. Soon after they leave I can hear a greeting...

'Welcome to Jzadirune! Behold the wonder! But beware, ye who seek to plunder; traps abound and guardians peer beyond every portal, behind every gear.'

They clearly do not know what they have gotten themselves into.

This time they are gone a few hours before they flee the city again. Blood covering some of their clothing. I can hear them speak of their encounters in the Grand Hall of Dancing Lights. The Paladin and Bard almost met their death in the city below. So they join Verrad and Krawg as members of the Troupe who have already almost died facing the dangers of Jzadirune.

Verrad speaks of the 'Gear Doors' and seems to be determined to learn their secrets. Seems one of the doors gave him a very 'warm' welcome. The room they took me to is a lift of some sort and will lower them deeper, below the city of Jzadirune when they think the time is right. But it seems for a time they will continue to explore Jzadirune. I do not know what they will find there – I just hope they get Starbrow back to me before they reach their inevitable fate. If they can do that this nightmare will all be worth the pain.”