Khalt turns to Ehrendil, his bound eye glowing faintly behind the strip of cloth. "No, there be mutual respect with the earth cultists, if not a true alliance. This outpost be only a precaution."

He turns to answer Zenna's question but is cut off by a gasp of recognition from Gordol behind him. "The gnome holds Drown!" the man shouts, prostrating himself before Zeb. "He speaks for Olhydra herself, may she live forever. We owe him our allegiance!" Khalt looks at Gordol in disbelief, then at Zeb. His one visible eye narrows with suspicion.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:42, Fri 21 Oct 2022.

A wave of puzzlement sweeps across Ehrendil's face as he looks from the kneeling pirate to Morg. "This should prove interesting," he whispers to the dwarf.

The elf steps back from Morg, and pulls an arrow from his quiver and begins to spin it.

Makari from outside the room didn't hear all of what was going on or was said. He didn't stray too far, though. He just wanted to make sure that more cultists, or guards, or giant sea creatures, were coming while the group was dealing with the...prisoners? Soon-to-be-released former combatants? He wasn't sure. Thus far, he was not excited about any of the cultists staying alive. They had proven to be fairly dangerous, and no small amount of them - and this was only ONE of the strongholds apparently!

Gordol continues whispering prayers to Olhydra, occasionally glancing up at Zeb and his companions in reverence.

Khalt shakes his head, then turns to Ehrendil. "Ye killed Shatterkeel I take it?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:41, Fri 21 Oct 2022.

Ehrendil casually steps forward, the arrow still slowly spinning in his hand.

"No. He was dead when I arrived here. I suppose that frees you and your crew from any obligations to him."

The elf tries to gauge if Khalt is looking to attack to gain the trident, or, hopefully, looking to leave the temple.

---

Ehrendil Vakalyn rolled 18 for Insight (WIS).

Morg positions himself to be able to attack anyone trying to get past him towards Zeb who has the trident.

"A few of us killed Shatterkeel, because of his past crimes and his refusal to change his ways."

"They killed Shatterkeel," Zeb emphasized, without indicating who exactly "they" were. Then smiled he held the trident aloft in the hand still attached to his body. "I took it."

Gordol prostrates himself even more vehemently on the stone floor. "Command us," he intones fervently.

Khalt exchanges glances with the remaining conscious guard before slowly moving to a kneeling position next to her. He looks at Zeb and his companions with a wary eye.

---

Updated prior posts to have Zeb holding the trident.

Ehrendil's eyes narrow slightly as Khalt kneels. The elf steps back and whispers to Zeb, "Perhaps tell them to leave this place and return to their life on their ship? Khalt is not as much a believer as the others!"

---

Since Ehrendil and Zeb know each other well, Ehrendil will whisper in Elvish, Draconic, or Sylvan if Zeb knows any of those languages.

Gorm backs away a few feet from the prostrating individuals and turns her focus on Zeb as he starts waving the trident around, while making sure not to let any of the until recently enemies out of her view entirely.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:56, Sat 22 Oct 2022.

"Tell me all you know of this place," Zeb commands. He stands a little taller, back straightening as he settles into the role of god-king. "How many remain here? Has a party of dwarves passed through, or do you know anything of them? Once that is done, you will forsake this place and the cult, which makes a mockery of the true power of the waves. Take any of your fellows who would join you and return to your lives at sea. Else be swallowed by the waves!" he adds with a dramatic flourish.

As he speaks, he keeps an eye on the kneeling Khalt who is eyeing him.

---

Zeb rolled 16 using 1d20+3 with rolls of 13.  insight. Will he obey? Is he plotting something?

Makari paused, frowning. He made his way to the nearest door to the room and looked in. Yep. Sure enough, what he thought he had heard was exactly right. He turned his face away before the smile broke out on it and he went back to watching for any one else coming before he messed up whatever Zeb was doing.

"Shatterkeel was too weak," Gordol groans into the floor, "not worthy of the awesome power of water. I see that now." He looks up a Zeb. "I see little of the rest of this place. There's a way down somewhere on the west side of the compound, though few are allowed near there. Gar had several lieutenants beneath him. Morbeoth protects us from the incursions of the unreliable Cult of Howling Hatred from the west. We guard here against the Cult of the Black Earth. There's an old hag that dwells near the center of our area, and she keeps pets. But they are all unworthy," he pounds his fist against the stone, "what difference does it make?" Khalt snorts, looking disgusted.

"There are rumors," he continues after a moment, "of an attack on a Dwarvish delegation by the Black Earthers. Gar supposedly helped them travel back to their monastery with prisoners, and was paid handsomely in return."

"You are not worthy!" Zeb informed the groveling cultists. With the news of the dwarven delegation, he raised his eyebrows at Ehrendil and Zenna. "Where is this monastery, then?" he asked the prisoners.

Gordol moans disconsolately on the floor while Khalt rolls his eyes. "The Sacred Stone Monastery is on the banks of the Dessarin River, not far from here," Khalt replies.

---

Longer tenured members of the party may recall their last visit to the Monastery at the behest of the air cultists. Its location is called out on the Dessarin Valley map in the Maps & Stuff thread, or here for easy reference.

Khalt eyes Gordol groveling and finally shouts "Up anchor!" sharply.

"Aye, we'll be leavin' this cult then, as'n ye won't be havin' us," Khalt says to Zeb. Gathering up the reluctant Gordol and the other guard, he walks to the southern door and unlocks it, glancing once at the snoring guard in the corner. Nodding to Makari as he passes, he makes his way down the southern corridor to towards the exit.

---

Where to?

Zeb looked to Ehrendil and Zenna. "I believe we have our destination. I don't suppose we'd mind the company, if you all have cause to seek it out as well," he said to the others. "If not, I can give you this. I mean, if you want it."

His floating hand held aloft the enchanted trident but seemed a bit reluctant to surrender it.

Ehrendil nods in agreement. "Zeb has it right. We should continue on our quest to find the Mirabarian delegation. While I have no love for these cultists, I believe with the removal of Shatterkeel and the hag, we have dealt them a serious blow. And if not, we can return to finish the job."

Looking at Morg, Makari, and Gorm, he adds, "If this Black Earth monastery is where you previously met the Earth cultists then you could save us the time for searching for it. And we do fight well as a team."

"I would like to see that delivered to the Abbott at Goldenfields. He may know how to deal with it. Properly."

---

Morg mentioned meeting earth cultists in msg #108.

"I'd like to catch up on my reach weapon skills, but that trident's magic seems too volatile." Morg says.

"As for the monks of the earth cult, we looked there for the delegation, but didn't find anything."

---

DM, we didn't find any clues at the monastery, right?

The group makes their way south out of the Water cult temple, back to the boats that brought them here, and rows back to the landing beneath the Keep. Up the dark stairs to the Keep  building proper, through the secret door, and into the Great Hall, the group encounters not a soul.

The group cautiously leaves the Great Hall, but the grounds of Rivergard Keep are obviously deserted. Torn clothing, bits of moldy food, and other detritus litter its grounds. The cult has obviously abandoned this stronghold and the place has been looted.

Leaving through the front gates, the thick double doors now hanging on their hinges, the group sets their sights to the northeast. A blustery cold wind whips through the sparse trees, blowing rotten leaves through the air and chilling the group to the bone, despite the bright afternoon sun slowly setting in the west.

As they make their way through the tough ground, they see a small group of halflings gathered near a bend in the river, fishing for their dinner. Nearby, several round doors are set into doorframes leading into the small hills nearby. Several small wagons are parked nearby, filled with what looks like trade goods. The beginnings of a large bonfire sit near the center of the cluster of homes, and several halfling children take turns piling it higher with brush and leaves that they scavenge from nearby. Thunder rumbles low in the distance.

---

Dessarin Valley map updated!

Gorm achieves a second Inspiration for completing the second of two secret missions! (Clear out the cult from Rivergard Keep) In general you can only have 1 inspiration at a time, but this is a special case.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:27, Sun 13 Nov 2022.

"Well met!" Ehrendil calls out from a distance as they approach the halfling village, knowing that the armed and armoured group might intimidate the small-folk if they approached unannounced.

"Did you pass through here in your travels?" he asks Morg and Makari, and Gorm, although he does not expect the bear to respond. "Perhaps we could spend the night here, and continue our journey in the morning?"

"Didn't see this village before." Morg says.

"I think you're the best person to talk to them." he says to Ehrendil.

---

DM, the original party didn't see this town before, correct?

Gorm pauses with the others and watches the village, then looks back and forth between Morg and Ehrendil a few times before locking her attention on the elf for several seconds and nodding.

Ehrendil looks puzzled for a moment, and then smiles broadly. "So you can talk!"

He looks are Morg and at the bear and shakes his head. "I will do my best, but I will take Zeb with me. He always tells me I am too formal...although he uses far less polite words, usually."

"Zeb. We've been asked to speak to the villagers, to ask for a night's lodgings, and to explain that we mean no harm.

And by we, I think we both know that means you speak and I will try not to scare anyone."

While the rest of the group stands back, Ehrendil will move toward the halflings, hoping this his friend will be there to cover for him.

At Ehrendil's call, the halflings scatter, several running directly for their doors and slamming them behind them. Their exterior color blends remarkably well with the surrounding hills, making the doors very difficult to see if you didn't know they were there.

Two or three halflings dive underneath bushes near the water, though their positions are relatively easy to discern given that none of them appear to have dropped their fishing poles.

A single halfling raises his hand to the newcomers, walking slowly out from near the wagons. "Hail travelers," he begins in a hearty voice pitched to carry but not overly loud, "Please, be welcome by our fire, if you have interest in companionship and commerce. But these are difficult times, and not all travelers are pure of heart. We've heard disturbing news, both from inside and outside these hills, so we'd be grateful to avail of your protection in exchange for the warmth of our fire, for as long as you're inclined to stay with us. We're mighty careful these days, to be sure."