CAMPAIGN DIARY – 09/27/16 A PLEA FOR HELP

Previously, on The Broken World campaign...

Our heroes follow the Ordo Arcanis sorceress named Vayl Naris into the mines, led by her special incarnum-sensing amulet.  The amulet leads them down two levels but then seems to indicate that a strong source of incarnum is beyond an apparent cave-in that is marked with danger signs.  The heroes probe the area and discover an illusion covering part of the cave in that leads into another passage.  They proceed through it into a separate section of the mines and eventually find an area containing incarnum crystals; some emitting a soft glow, others emitting a flickering glow.  Vayl studies these while Bantu does invisible recon and hears mining going on in this section from various chambers.  The Halfling goes into one and sees 3 dwarves silently mining incarnum with the same un-dwarflike demeanor that was displayed by the dwarves they followed down into these mines; but these were different dwarves. 

The heroes proceed cautiously, finding more incarnum and a cavern containing barrels partially filled with mined incarnum and a few crates containing strange metal rods ending with a runic brand of some kind which glow when picked up.  While studying this cave, Norro notices a strange eye materializing in several rock walls and warns the team that something is watching them from the rock.  The heroes then hear someone coming and a dwarf bearing a cart with barrels on it pass them and go down another passage, seemingly not noticing the heroes.  However a few moments later, the mining sounds seem to stop from all of the adjacent caverns and several dwarves approach the cave the PCs are in and attack.  The heroes fight them all, noting that they all appear to be possessed or not in control of their own minds. 

Once the dwarves are defeated, the strange eye that has been watching them emerges from the rock and is a strange creature that itself seems to be made out of rock.  Vayl casts comprehend languages and learns that the creature calls itself Urt and is a xorn; an elemental creature that lives within the island and is fearful that the “hairy ones” and some alien (for lack of a better term) presence accompanied by “hairless ones” are killing the island by mining the incarnum.  It asks the heroes for help, for its people tried to stop them but the alien presence took control of them and they were slaughtered.  Urt’s remaining xorn pulled back and have been helpless to stop the mining. 

The heroes agree to help Urt and it leads them deeper into the island to a living incarnum chamber that has vibrant, active incarnum crystals that have arcs of energy between them.  Urt says this is what used to be in all of the incarnum caves, but since the invaders came there are fewer and fewer of these chambers remaining and the island suffers because of it.  The heroes ask Urt where this alien presence and hairless ones are and it says they are on the edge of the island in a large cave where the alien presence controls the scaled ones (troglodytes), hairy ones and the hairless ones protect it.  Urt also says the hairless ones have another cave where they are taking the incarnum and doing some strange magic with it that feels bad to the xorn.  The heroes decide to rest a bit in the living incarnum cave and decide what their next move will be. 

End of session.

Campaign Diary Session 15 9.20.16

Previously, on The Broken World Campaign…

The heroes tag along with Vayl and her entourage to tour the upper levels of the mines and are then treated to a meal with the miners after working hours.  The mines are shut down at sundown, which the heroes thought odd, given the enthusiasm the dwarves have for their work and the limited time they have left on the island.  It would make more sense to have round the clock shifts to maximize productivity, but when Karthun is questioned about this he responds that there are creatures called “trogs” (troglodytes) that  are active at night for unknown reasons, and they often attempt to tunnel into the mines making work hazardous for the miners.  The heroes think this odd, but drop the matter as the dining hall becomes a festive place of drinking and eating.  Bantu decides to work the crowd to try and get some information from the miners and he performs rousing songs, spins enthralling tales and evokes powerful emotions with his poetry that he instantly becomes a hit with the dwarf miners.  In between sets he signs autographs chats with his new fans and learns that they were told that they had about a month left on the island before they were to leave, something about the place dying and the air depleting, so they’re mining what they can during the hours they’re allowed.  Bantu confirms that these dwarves of the Ironforge clan are true professional miners.  As the night wears on, Norro notices a group of dwarves enter the hall acting very strangely.  They seem to be moving in concert with each other, speaking very little, not interacting with the other dwarves and sitting alone off to the side.  He attempts to approach them when they all turn in unison to address him.  The speak very strangely, very undwarf-like and seem to be almost artificially scripted.  Norro leaves them and informs his companions. Questioning a few dwarves they learn that this group is the night guard of the mines, the only ones allowed down there after dark and they patrol to ensure the trogs don’t open up new tunnels to attack the miners.  The strange dwarves depart shortly thereafter, and Norror, Bantu and Brahm pursue them.  The strange dwarves are already down the elevator in the minehead building when the heroes catch up to them and they’re unable to stop the elevator from descending.  Brahm and Bantu attempt to put the dwarves to sleep with their magic and then Bantu goes back for Leikner and Solomon, who were having too much fun with the dwarves to get initially.  Leikner has to be pulled out from under a pile of dwarves that he was attempting to lift at one time, and Solomon was arm wrestling some dwarves.  Following Bantu back the three arrive back at the minehead and find that the elevator returned but the strange dwarves are not asleep inside.  The group descend into the first level of the mines and find the dwarve’s tracks leading down a tunnel.  They wind their way through and find that the dwarves’ trail ends at an intersection.  In this section of the mines the heroes are attacked by a number of troglodytes and a fomorian giant.  Using a combination of sleep magic and confusion magic, Brahm and Bantu weaken the attackers enough for Leikner, Solomon and Norro to whittle them down with weapons and divine magic.  Bantu takes a number of troglodytes out with a fireball and Bantu proceeds to slice the throats of the sleeping ones.  When all of the foes are defeated, the heroes realize that Vayl is behind them, apparently having followed them and was waiting for the fight to end. She pulls out a medallion and it begins to glow, which she explains to mean that it is detecting natural incarnum, which is what she’s been looking for.  She begins to lead the party down a tunnel and that’s where the session ends.

Religion of the Trinity

Probably one of my least favorite aspects of worldbuilding is religion.  It bores me to tears, mostly because I never really cared much for clerics or divine classes in the game as a player and gods seem more like a plot device than something that actually exists.  However, what D&D fantasy world would be complete without some form of religion in it (probably a cool one, but that's for another blog), so I thought I'd put the ideas I have so far for religion in my homebrew campaign The Broken World, out into the universe to give it some authenticity.

Keep in mind that I'm not striving for originality here.  Much of what I have has been directly stolen from other religions (mostly Christianity).  Also, what I'm trying to create here is a religion, not an actual divine pantheon of actual gods.  These gods may or may not exist - at this stage in the campaign, we don't know and it's not important.   What is important is that many BELIEVE they exist and that belief is what gives the church its power.

THE RELIGION OF THE TRINITY

Directly after the Great Devastation, people of all islands in The Broken World looked to the aether and shouted for help from any gods that would listen.  No response was given.  Many people assumed the gods were dead or had forsaken them.  Some turned to new gods, beseeching aid, while others took advantage of the loss of organized religion to start their own religions for the purposes of gaining power and control over others.  Over time, the religions and gods of the Old World were forgotten and many other religions rose and fell throughout the Archipelago.  It was not until the Age of Exploration when the Trinity Tablets were found that religion was restored to the world and the Church of the Trinity was formed.  The Trinity Tablets were not complete, with one or more tablets missing, but the three that were found offered a glimpse into the Creation mythology of the Old World, provided insight on how the world came to be, who the gods were and what they expected from their children.  The Church of the Trinity grew powerful quickly as people wanted and needed gods to pray to for stability, security, prosperity and guidance; and the Trinity provided that.  This religion is the largest and strongest religion in the Archipelago today, but it is not the only religion.  Others still exist in isolated places and the church does its best to find these “cults” and disband (destroy) them.

Tenants of the Church: The stated purpose of the church is to bring every living soul in the world under the guidance, glory and protection of the Trinity.  It's primary claim to the existence of the Trinity is the resurgence of Divine magic when the Trinity Tablets were discovered and faith was restored to the world. 

• Divine Oversight: The church teaches that the gods of the Trinity do exist, they watch over the world and protect it from the threats of the universe beyond, keeping the islands alive with their divine might.  The only reason the gods do not repair the world is because all of their power is directed at protecting it from the Entropy, but they have given us the power to protect ourselves with Divine magic.
• Sacrifice: The church teaches that the gods fought a great war against a terrible enemy that brought about the Great Devastation, but that only the power of the gods saved the people of the world and banished the threat.  But to keep the threat at bay, they have left their Divine realms to guard the borders of the universe against the threat of the Entropy.
• Mystery: The church teaches that the mystery of the gods is incomplete because of the missing Trinity Tablets and that the key to restoring the world to the way it was before the Great Devastation is by finding the missing tablets.

Politics of the Church: As one of the most powerful organizations in the world, the church is by necessity, one of the most political organizations.  It is involved in nearly every aspect of life in the Archipelago, has influence over most civilized lands in the Independent Islands region and in much of the Confederacy of Agrivaar.  Its influence is even spreading into the religiously devoid regions of the Dragon Isles and Titanicus.  There is a church, shrine, temple, and/or monastery of some kind dedicated to one or more of the gods of the Trinity on nearly every island in the Archipelago and there is a divine agent that answers to the church in nearly every government.

The Trinity: The gods of the Trinity are Paladian, Mortalas and Raxus.  Despite the fact that the church venerates all three as a unit, people tend to associate with one or another god in general and may honor the others during certain occasions.

• Paladian: Typically represents the ideals of law, order, goodness, light, protection, honor, justice, and virtue.  Paladian is said to live in his domain of Haven with his celestial army of angels ready to aid and protect the people of the Broken World from evil.
• Mortalas: Typically represents the ideals of balance, neutrality, time, shadow and death.  Eternus is where Mortalas and her reapers watch over the world to ensure neither Order or Chaos reign supreme and to harvest souls to take into the afterlife.
• Raxus: Typically represents the ideals of war, darkness, freedom, anarchy, corruption, evil.  He resides in the Fortress of Iron in the realm of Hellius, where his legions of devils hold back the endless hordes of demons and aberrants from The Beyond.

Othus (currently Jozen Galan): The title of Othus represents the spiritual Figurehead and Leader of the Church of the Trinity and the most powerful office in the church.  The othus has the final word on church doctrine and differences of interpretation of religious lore by the Congress Triune.

The Congress Triune: The body of high ranking priests that develop church doctrine from study of religious artifacts, primarily the Trinity Tablets, but those unearthed in other ruins, and carry out the implementation of satellite churches.  It is made up of three branches; the Palanir, Mortalir and the Raxilir.  Each branch is led by an elected official called the Orator.

Denominations: Although the church demands that all three gods of the Trinity are venerated equally (known as Trianity), there is an operating structure that each focus on one of the gods which developed of the centuries in order to bring peace to the conflicting nature of the orders.  The denominations mirror the branches of the Congress Triune; the Palanir, the Mortalir and the Raxilir. 

Palanir Sects

• Inquisitioners: This fundamentalist sect is not supported by the church currently, but was once it's most powerful sect.  Its members follow the belief that Entropy was able to enter the Universe because of the reckless use of magic by sorcerers, witches, wizards and warlocks, which weakened the Godwall and resulted in the destruction of the world.  It was this movement that brought about the Holy War against magic users that weren't sanctioned by the church.  These people are often referred to as Inquisitioners or Witch Hunters. 
• The Devoted: This sect is made up of paladins (and their followers) that have taken the Oath of Devotion and follow the ideals of justice, virtue and order.
• Peacekeepers: This sect is devoted to the concept of law and order and typically support governments and nations by serving as judges, law enforcers, and lawyers.
• Warguard: This sect is similar to the Warmonger sect of the Raxilir, but is focused on the ongoing protection of the Archipelago rather than seeking out battles.   Since the Illithid Incursion, their training has focused on threats from beyond the world, though there are many cells that still prepare for a resurgence of violence between the regions.

Mortalir Sects

• Chronologists: This sect is obsessed with Mortalas' aspect of the mistress of Time.
• The Ancients: This sect is made up of paladins (and their followers) that have taken the Oath of the Ancients.
• Arbitrators: These devotees are less likely to follow the spirit of the law and more likely to seek an amicable agreement between opposing sides and find a balance. 
• Naturalists: This sect believes that nature is the ideal balance between order and chaos.  Mostly druidical orders fall into this sect.
• Speakers for the Dead: This sect believes that only through living a balanced life does the spirit rest in the afterlife, and unbalanced spirits are restless.  They devote themselves to contacting these spirits and getting them to move into the light…or destroying them if they are stinking, abominable undead.
• Sign of the Reaper: This sect is not sanctioned by the church and its members practice necromancy and venerate the high priestess, Raven Vaasa, and her work in attempting to legitimize necromancy in the church as an aspect of Mortalas.

Raxilir Sects

• The Syrinx: This sect follows the tenants of Sanctu Syrinx, who believes that music was the greatest sin against Raxus because of its seemingly free, but actually structured form.  Only the chaotic sounds of battle are the true music of Raxus.
• Avengers: This sect is made up of paladins (and their followers) that have taken the Oath of Vengeance.
• Oathbreakers: These paladins have come to realize that taking an oath is itself a means to order and is against the nature of chaos, so they have broken their oath, usually to pursue some dark ambition or serve an evil power.  These are sometimes called "anti-paladins".
• Warmongers: This sect is one based on the tenant of survival of the fittest.  Made up of warpriests and holy warriors, they train day and night to lead armies into battle.  They tend to be relegated to mercenary roles these days since the Pact of the Neutral Aether brought most hostilities between the regions to an end, but there are still plenty of disputes and fights within the regions to keep them active.
• The Infernal: This sect is not sanctioned by the church, but it exists nonetheless and its members are obsessed with making contact with the servants of Raxus; his legion of devils and, in particular, the most powerful of them.

Clerical Titles: The priests and clerics of the church go by many titles, which are typically dependent on which branch of the church the priest falls within. 

• Paladian: Clerics that favor Paladian are given the titles of Justice, Guardian, Peacekeeper, Lawbringer, or Protector.
• Mortalas: Clerics that favor Mortalas have titles like Deathpriest, Spiritguide, Timekeeper (or just Keeper), Judge, Mediator or Arbitrator.
• Raxus: Clerics that favor Raxus are known as Warpriest, Sanguinous, Blood Father/Mother,  Instigator, or Executioner.

Biblia Trinitas: This is the collection of scriptures from the various bits of religious lore that have been unearthed over the last 1000 years, but consist primarily of that which was learned from the Trinity Tablets. 

• Apocrypha: This is a collection of scriptures that have been considered by the Congress Triune but rejected for various reasons – usually because the veracity of the lore could not be qualified or because it contradicts accepted doctrine.  One of the most infamous of these is known as the Dark Book, which contains damning lore blaming most non-human races for the Great Devastation and was the primary tome used to instigate the Inquisition.

The Sancti: Some followers of the church achieve heights of spiritual awareness or have performed acts or led lives deserving special recognition and appreciation by the church.  These are known as the Sancti; people who are honored as true saints and prophets of the Trinity.  Some of the more famous sancti (sanctu is the singular of the title) are:

• Sanctu Baryston, the first to translate the Trinity Tablets and unlock the power of the divine.
• Sanctu Montus, who is credited for bringing together the armies of the region to fight together against the Illithid Incursion.
• Sanctu Amarra, a missionary who spent her life traveling the Archipelago to spread the gospel of the Trinity and is credited for doing the most to grow the religion in the early days.
• Sanctu Jae-Mal, a warpriest who inspired the 12th Legion to hold off thousands of marauding illthids in the defining Battle of Tolomas, which ended the Illithid Incursion.

Holy Days: These days are celebrated by the church for having religious significance.  Most civilized islands recognize and celebrate these days, though the way they are celebrated varies.

• Baryston Day: Celebrates the return of the divine gift to the world.  Usually celebrated by giving gifts to loved ones.  Baryston has become the Santa Claus of the Broken World.
• The Eve of Mal (sometimes referred to as Maltas): Honors the bravery of Sanctu Jaer-Mal and the sacrifice of the 12th Legion.  Those who serve in militaries, as guards or sentinels usually hold ceremonies, parades, etc., to honor the fallen of the 12th Legion.
• Rebirth: Honors the strength of the people of the Broken World, who survived the Great Devestation and endured centuries of hardship to bring back civility to the world.  This holy day is usually spent in revelry.
• Passing or Day of the Dead: The day when all dead are honored.  This has become something of a divided celebration, with the daylight hours spent in quiet reflection with friends and family, and the night time hours spent celebrating the lives of the fallen, but has also become something of a party time that focuses on the causes of death, mainly monsters.  This is a combination of Memorial Day and Halloween.

THE DIVINE DOMAINS

The Church teaches that the Trinity each maintained a godly realm, separate from each other.  Whether these places actually exist are matters of faith and philosophy, for nobody but perhaps the gods know where they

Haven: This is the realm of Paladian and is typically thought of being "up" in the heavens.  It is believed that the strong and just become angels in Paladian's court, who are responsible for maintaining the barrier known as the Godwall, which keeps out the demons of the Void.

Hellius:This is the underworld where the corrupt, foul and wicked come to serve its master and his devil lords in the divine armies to do penance for leading an unholy life. 

Eternus: This is the realm of Mortalas and it is thought to be a timeless limbo in the Aether where the souls go to be judged and either go to their final reward or to be recycled, and where the new souls are formed.

THE DIVINE SERVANTS

There are actual beings in the Aether that claim to be servants of the gods, but they rarely match mortal's idealized concept of them.  They are intensely jealous of the mortal's of the world and are forbidden from interacting with them directly, but that divine law has many loopholes that have been exploited over the centuries.

Angels: The most jealous of the divine servants, these creatures cannot enter into the world directly, but may possess a mortal if invited to do so willingly.  Once in possession of a mortal shell the angel may act as it pleases in the mortal realm, and those actions have not always been in the mortal's best interests.

Devils: Also forbidden from entering the mortal realm, these beings have learned that mortal souls are powerful and can be enslaved if the mortal willingly gives a devil power over it.  Devils tend to tempt mortals to trick them into succumbing to them.

Reapers:  These beings are the only divine servants that may enter the mortal realm, and only then to collect souls from the dead bodies of the deceased and to take them to their final resting place.

Campaign Diary - Session 14: Interlude

The heroes and their rescued employer Kern return to Sinners Cove after matters at Council Rise have been largely cared for.  (Former) Councilwoman Krais is missing and her duplicate replacements of the council have been eliminated.  At Kern's home, he drops the news that he is leaving to find a way to destroy the Book of Vile Darkness, otherwise others like Krais will continue to seek it out and he will never be able to rest.  He says he's taking Kern's Folly and Pops with him on his quest and he wants the heroes to take over the Salvage Company until he returns.  He also asks for a suit of armor and Stonebreaker.  Leikner, the wielder of the magical hammer is hesitant to give it up for various reasons, not the least of which being the potential for Kern to use the hammer to access the vault containing the Serpent Crown if his intentions are less than noble.  Kern assures the group that he only wants to destroy the book and that the hammer, though powerful in anyone's hands, was made for dwarves and only a dwarf can unlock its full potential.  Leikner gives it up, but is rewarded by some higher power as his mother's battle axe is transformed into a holy weapon!  Kern tells the heroes that he has been saving up for a new aether ship anyway, and he wanted them to use it for the business.  The ship is an upgrade from Kern's Folly and will be delivered in a few days' time.  To satisfy themselves that Kern was not being motivated by the evil book, they did a Zone of Truth test on him, and he passed.  

The heroes spend the next few days deciding which roles they will take on the new ship.  Bantu has agreed to be the captain, Solomon the navigator, Norro the chaplain, Brahm the spelljammer and Leikner the gunner.  They also start interviewing candidates for the first mate vacancy and settle on Malia Krekus, who has experience both in the Thelos Province and in the greater Independent Islands region.  After some negotiating of salary, her first task is assigned to hire the rest of the crew needed to run the bigger ship.  The new ship arrives and the heroes christen her the Careless Whisper, after a song that Bantu likes to play during long rests.  

They leave Ms Krekus to her duties and pay a visit to Rogan the dragonborn aetheronomer and his guest Vayl, who again asks for a ride to the dying island so that she may study it’s deterioration.  The heroes agree to take her and Rogan cautions the heroes about Gates still being on the loose.  

The following day they cast the Careless Whisper off and set sail for the island of Gorok and due to a navigational mishap, arrive a day later than expected.  Clearly the crew is still honing their sailing skills and working on their aether legs.  Upon arriving they take their away boat to the river and ride it up to the mountainous center of the island where the mining colony stands.  En route to the colony, they pass through the dead zone of the island, which is about a mile and a half wide and growing about 10 feet or more a day according to Vayl and the growth is speeding up.  

At the colony the group is met by Karthun Ironforge, the mine manager who seems to have grudgingly agreed to this arrangement with the Ordo Arcanis and the Church of the Trinity.  He shows the heroes, Vayl and her colleagues to their rooms and asks them what they need in assistance from his minimal staff, as most of the islands’ population has been evacuated and his staff is down to a skeleton crew.  She says she only requires a guide to take them down to the deepest shafts they have dug and, preferably to any caverns they may have discovered – particularly incarnum caverns.  Though he did not show it, Karthun’s demeanor changed slightly at the mention of incarnum and the heroes pick up on that.  Karthun denies finding any incarnum caverns, but he says he’ll assign a guide to the group for when they are ready to go into the mines.

End of session. 

Campaign Diary: Session 13

The Salvage Crew
-Bantu the Halfling Bard
-Brahm the forest gnome Wizard
-Leikner the half orc Paladin
-Norro the high elf Cleric of Mortalas
-Solomon the human fighter

NPCs featured/mentioned in this session:
-Kern the retired dwarf adventurer and owner of the Salvage Company and the PCs employer.
-Councilwoman Krais, a former colleague-turned-enemy of Kern who has been trying to put him out of business and acquire an evil book in Kern’s vault.
-Vayl Naris the magically altered human sorceress of the Ordo Arcanis, who is looking for a ride to a dying island to study.
​- Pops, the helmsman and navigator of Kern's Folly.

Previously on The Broken World Campaign…

The heroes are back in Sinner's Cove and need to rest badly, so they rent a room at a local inn.  As they do, the strange old lady from the market is present and draws attention to herself briefly before settling back into her own mania.  The heroes ignore her and go up to their room where they all sleep restfully except Leikner, who cannot block out the noise coming from the next room.  The half-orc tries to politely quiet the noisy couple and has to resort to bursting into their room and knocking out the jerk that won't listen to reason.  Leikner declines the invitation of the jerk's lady friend to take his place and goes back to bed. Later that day, after their rest the heroes find that their connection to the Micronians seems to be growing stronger and they each find that they have gained an ability seemingly from that connection.  Not sure what exactly all of that means, they put that aside to focus on the immediate issue, which is to find a place to stash the loot they took from the Expeditions Unknown cellar and to either try and get Kern's property back or to go find their missing employer.  They reason that it would probably be a waste of time to try and settle Kern's financial situation with the council until they deal with Councilwoman Krais, who is behind the repossession of Kern's property, so instead they decide to try and rescue Kern, who they believe is somewhere on Krais' island, just off shore of Tradeport.  They toy with the idea of getting their boat back, but decide against that. They go to the home of Pops to have him stash their loot until they return. Pops agrees to do so and says he'll gather the crew, get the ship back and prep her in case the heroes must leave the island quickly.  The heroes leave Pops and head back to the town of Greed and spend a few hours trying to get some information about last night's events and what the town's law enforcement is doing, particularly to see if they are in any danger of being arrested since they did have an encounter with a guard and there is the rogue who they hired that ratted them out when he was captured. They aren't very good at getting people to talk on this day, so they take a chance and head back over to the Expeditions Unknown building and find that guards have been set at each entrance.  The group resorts to magic to suggest to one of the guards that they should be let inside, and the guard immediately cooperates, assuming them to be crime scene inspectors.  Inside looks much like they left it, so they head down to the cellar and activate the teleportation circle, which takes them to Krais' Island.
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​When they materialize the heroes find themselves in a small stone chamber with the glowing magic circle beneath their growing dim and going out, leaving them in darkness.  Bantu turns invisible and does some recon out the only exit to the room and finds a side chamber with 4 suits of armor within, which seem to activate and move to intercept the heroes.  Bantu's invisible form is ignored, but the animated armor moves to attack the others. A short fight commences and the armor is destroyed.  With Solomon's lit torch lighting the way, the heroes proceed into the complex, finding another door that has a strange giggling sound behind it.  They decide to skip that room and the continue down the hall to another door.  Within they hear muttering of some creature so they decide to lure it out by magically emulating the giggling sound just outside this door.  The muttering creature opens the door, saying something about the damn gibberer getting loose again, and reveals itself to the invisible Bantu as a Spectator.  The creature does not see anything outside the door to the room it guards, so it shuts the door again.  The heroes decide to rush the room and spend time preparing themselves with potions and magic, then burst into the Spectator's room and killing it before it can get a single eye ray shot off.  It guarded a store room with a variety of strange torture implements and supplies.  They find another door and try to open it, but are surprised by a glyph of warding that they didn't see, which explodes and hurts most of them.  They enter the room and find a study with papers, books, jars of a strange drug known as "agony", which is distilled pain.  They also find a globe that seems to depict a living island, but in the shape of a sphere which seems odd to them.  No island they've come across yet is a perfect ball shape.  They also find a stone structure that has more of the Grand Equation etched upon the stone.  Norro tries to copy down the equations, but as he does so the elf begins to feel pain in his head as the formula begins to burn itself into his brain.  When it finishes, Norro realizes that he now knows 25% of the Life Equation and 10% of the Anti-Life Equation.  As this is going on, Bantu does more invisible recon and finds a long hall with two rust monsters huddled in a side passage.  The group lures the creatures into the store room and lock them in without having to engage them.  They continue to explore the complex and find a room where they hear the sounds of a weeping woman within.  They open the door to find a very attractive woman that is held within a magic circle.  She pleads for them to free her, but Leikner the Paladin senses that she is actually a fiend and she transforms into her true shape, that of a Marilith demon.  The heroes know that this fiend is far beyond their ability, so they close the door and ignore its attempts to coerce them into a conversation with her, for fear of the demon somehow tricking them into releasing her.  The group find another door which leads to a section of the complex that is built differently and seems to have an evil about it.  Within they find Krais, who stands atop a boiling pit and she calls forth skeletal warriors to attack the heroes.  As skeletons pour forth from the massive cauldron, Leikner uses his newfound power granted by the worship of the Micronians, and summons forth a band of berzerkers to deal with the skeletons.  The heroes focus on Krais, but they find that she is a similacrum and not the true Krais.  Upon destroying the skeletons, the heroes climb a stair to a large double door, beyond which is a vast sanctum of evil.  Inside, Krais is performing a ritual, with Kern as an apparent offering to something that she is trying to get to come through the portal at the end of the room.  Reciting lines from the Book of Vile Darkness before her, she does little to defend herself as the heroes storm in to rescue Kern.  Krais is magically compelled to flee, which she does, directly into the portal she was attempting to open.  Her entry seems to have the result she intended and from the portal a terrible, tentacled monster erupts forth and begins attacking the heroes.  An epic battle ensues and thought the monster is massive, the heroes are able to fight and destroy it.  They release Kern, who appears to be beaten and worn, but able to move on his own.  Kern says that the rest of the council is held in this dungeon, having been kidnapped and replaced with doubles by Krais so that she could control the entire island.  They go back to the demon chamber and find that it is gone, apparently no longer held to whatever trap Krais had summoned it to.  They continue on and find two neogi guarding the rest of the council in the jail. They allow one to escape and kill the other. The heroes take the council and Kern back through the teleportation circle to the mainland and to the Tradeport Council's chambers where Krais kept the teleportation circle in her chambers.  The council summon their guards and the imposters are captured.  
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​Having saved Kern, the Tradeport Council and having dispatched the power-hungry Krais, the heroes are informed by Kern that he knows now that the Book of Vile Darkness must be destroyed, so he tells them that he's leaving to do just that.  He leaves his business and his ship to them and asks only for a suit of armor and a weapon - preferably Stonebreaker, the magical warhammer that Leikner has been using.  Kern feels that such a weapon belongs in the hands of a dwarf.  Leikner is torn about this and has not yet responded to Kern.  End of session.