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Our session begins with the party outside the door, making plans. Avach questions why they are planning to assault the Iron Golem if they know it is protecting the Sword of Lies. Cole answers that they seek the Sealing Rod, which will allow them to close this place up. They do not know where it is, so they are checking every open door. That Golem might be protecting the Rod, so they must attack. Avach accepts this, and asks for a few moments to prepare. He gives his blade the Bane ability temporarily with a minor ritual, something the party has never witnessed before (DM's note: Avach's abilities are meant to be exotic; the party has ever seen a warrior with his unique training before).

They slowly enter the room, Kaia and Yuri leading the way, hoping to flank the Golem while Avach fights from the front. Cole and Ariana stay back to heal the party or rescue them, if necessary. Cole and Ariana spend some magic to make Kaia the most effective fighter possible. The false Golem scares them, but when they realize it isn't going to attack they don't attack it. They move to the left, following the same plan, and see the real Golem and its long-dead foe. They're sure this is the one, and the battle begins.

The fight goes very well for the party. With an Adamantine sword, Kaia does by far the most damage, and so the Golem concentrates its attacks on her. Only minor damage is dealt by the poison, and this is basically a duel between Kaia and the Golem. Avach gets one good hit in, and the minor shock damage slows the Golem for a few seconds, enough to keep Kaia from becoming a thin layer of paste.

With Ariana healing Kaia continuously, they eventually wear the construct down and topple it. They search the rooms, gather items, and eventually find their way to the twin doors to the Sword of Lies chamber. They cannot work the two locks at the same time, so they enter the old-fashioned way -- behind Kaia's Adamantine Sword. They make short work of the door and then Ariana's True Sight makes short work of the false blades. They quickly grab the sword and stow it in an extradimensional container. They say that if they leave it where it is, unguarded by locked door or Golem, anybody could take it without them knowing. For now, at least, they must carry it.

Avach is sweating profusely, his mental commands being overridden by his memories and independence. Cole asks if there is going to be a problem. Avach, struggling with himself, says he doesn't think so. He's heard Cole's reasoning and it makes sense. Still, the mental compulsion is strong.

The party heads back across the bridge to the remaining locked door. There, Yuri tries to disarm the trap and fails ... turning again into stone. This time, Ariana cannot help. It's time for some tough choices -- do they return to the city for a scroll or just rest the night within? What dangers lurk above them?

We end the session there (DM's note: A very short session -- I was coming down with a cold, though I didn't know it at the time. I am going to skip the level with the Darkstar pendant, but keep the Master of Chains [the imagery is too cool to skip, there]. With that in mind, they could easily reach the top next session. Time to get off my lazy butt and finally convert the end encounter to 3.5E ... though I wonder if my group won't just take the Sealing Rod and try to seal it up, locking the Hand of Danar in the vaults and leaving it at that....).

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I think a good "theme" (if you like a dramatic story tone) to the adventure is that every group has its members some good and some bad, and that you can decide to judge the group by its worst, its best, its ideals etc. - depending on your outlook.

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It's something that's naturally risen from the way my players have reacted to every group and the people in it. I've decided to try and play it up, and it's paid off in big ways.

I'm nervous; they want to confront Jevicca about Avach's story next, and that'll be a tough one to play out .

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Is it just the cold or are you iffy on the Darkstar section of adventure?

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It's a couple things. The biggest, though, is that I feel like we've been in this dungeon too long. I'm ready to wrap the story up and move on. I figured one way to do that was to strip out one of the encounters on the way up. The Kyton was interesting and unique, and while the Darkstar is a cool effect it also presents a possible problem in splitting up the party. It also has a dragon and my players did such a great job of acting in total awe of Saggyrintis that I don't want to throw them another dragon so quickly.

I might change the Grey Ogres that are hanging out with the Kyton, too. Maybe make them tougher bigger Banebrutes? Not sure.

With Yuri petrified in front of the door, the party catches their breath. They are worried about the Sword of Lies, and decide they need to discuss it and come to a plan before they do anything else. They leave Avach's hearing range, since they're worried he'll turn on them if they discuss the Sword openly. He sits sadly on the ground and guards Yuri's stoned form.

Kaia describes teleporting to Callon (DM's note: A nearby city which is the local stronghold of Korak, the god Kaia serves) to drop off the Sword to avoid a confrontation with the Paladins. Cole feels it's unlikely the Paladins will find them, and even if they do, he feels it is unlikely things will come to blows over it. He wants to wait. (DM's note: I expected them to wait, too. Heh. Expect the unexpected.)

They decide to bring Avach into the discussion, since he risked his life to help them get the Sword. He struggles mentally but eventually buys into the party's theory - if they give the Sword to a powerful force other than the local Great Church, there is little chance of any more conflict over it in the immediate future. The party ponders a bit and decides to pursue this option immediately. Though Cole has never been to Callon, Kaia has, and can describe it well enough that in conjunction with a map, a Greater Teleport could get them there. They race towards the surface to buy a scroll.

On the way out, the doors around them slam shut. The Pyramid has begun their ritual. They debate what to do, and realize they may be stuck inside forever, but if they are, at least the Church didn't get the Sword. As they discuss their options, the ritual ends.

They speak with Saggarintys, who says he's on his way to start reconstruction on the unfinished generator. They then leave, and encounter Paladin Sharah Nestor in the Manor House. She says that the next morning she will lead her team in after the Sword. She makes one last attempt to talk the group into letting her accompany them, instead of risking an entire new team. The party isn't interested, but they do promise her that things will never come to blows between them. They neglect to mention they have the Sword, of course.

They get some of their saved money, and rush to Vials and Letters and buy two scrolls of Greater Teleport from Sue the Gnome (she has only three). They go home, Kaia describes the outside of the Guildhall in Callon in great detail, and after examining the map Cole reads the scroll, hoping for a success (DM's note: He's casting a spell a level higher than he can normally). They teleport, and appear in the courtyard of the Guildhall.

(DM's note: Here's my first surprise of the night. I'm forced to improvise some bits of the city of Callon, a description and tone of the temple, a personality for the Grand Wright of the Guildhall, and how he reacts to their urgent needs. I immediately decide on a very down-to-earth atmosphere for the place of worshop, and a sympathetic ear from the leader of Kaia's faith in the region. The party has met resistance from every authority figure they've met. It's about time for someone who will listen and agree with them.)

They rush in and Kaia's status as a Master Maker and revered Arcstone grant her an immediate audience with the Grand Wright. She spills out the entire story, leaving only minor details out. They present the Sword, and ask for guidance. The Wright, a Mason named Wise Brother Nicholai Guldur, examines the blade, and tries to estimate its taint, which he feels is considerable. The worship of Korak is on the decline in these lands; there are not many who would have a chance to remove it (DM's note: Again with the improvisation. How many 20th level Korak worshippers are there nearby, and what are their relationships with this temple?). The party is adamant that this is an emergency, and press Nicholai on the matter. It's clear they want this sword out of their hands and in the hands of one who can remove its taint tonight. After all, they have one more scroll left.

Nicholai estimates that there are two he knows personally who could eliminate the taint. The first is Master Wright Ulfgar Stonehammer, the premier Dwarven Mason of this time, head of the Order of Masons and a Guildmaster. The second is Supreme Maker Morgan Hawkmoon, an Arcstone who is currently questing deep within the Dwarven mountains, leading a force to liberate an ancient Dwarven Hold overrun with foul beasts. Both are nearly a thousand miles away, and both are likely to be very busy. The party presses, and Brother Guldur agrees to Commune to determine the best course of action. Kaia appreciates the drain this is on Brother Guldur and donates a precious gem she has worked personally to the temple in a gesture of appreciation.

The party makes for a local tavern and waits for Brother Guldur's summons. It grows later in the evening, and finally a messenger comes for them. They meet with the Grand Wright who tells them he has spoken with a powerful celestial in the direct service of Korak. He has learned that the blade can be purified, but not by any servant of Korak nearby. Both those he mentioned earlier are capable of it, however. The Celestial he spoke with was unaware of any forces of evil who knew of the blade's location, suggesting it might be safe staying in Callon, but Brother Guldur knew the party wouldn't be satisfied with that. Through some Sending spells, he has contacted Master Wright Ulfgar Stonehammer, who has agreed to meet with the party tonight if they wish it and can get there.

They do. Luckily Brother Guldur has been to Brother Stonehammer's guildhall, and with his description and their recently purchased map, they make another Greater Teleport.

(DM's note: What was I thinking? I've never even tried to describe Dwarven culture to them! And here I was sending them there. Ah, a chance for a sampling of high-level gameplay. We all had fun.)

The party is sufficiently impressed, realizing they are deep within a Dwarven hold. Everything looks different, and even though they are underground and the workers here are obviously short, everything is grand in scale. A somewhat rude acolyte named Twellek leads them into the Guildhall, to see the Master Wright. Things begin very awkwardly, and the party really starts to realize they are deep within the culture of an entirely different race. The Dwarves they've met in Ptolus are nothing like these.

Though things are slow and cold at first, they eventually warm up, and Ulfgar spends a lot of time with the party. They talk of many things, and he praises Kaia's judgment in the situation. He examines the blade, promises to do what he can, and stows it away. Kaia basks in the praise of one of the wisest and most powerful servants of her god on the mortal plane, and the party stays much later than they planned as they sit through a full formal Dwarven dinner of strangely flavored foods they don't recognize. They introduce Ulfgar to Yaeshla and he is completely enchanted by the dagger's childish manner and ageless perspective.

After many goodbyes and the giving of several gifts (from the party to Ulfgar), they leave this strange place behind, promising to check in to see how things go with the Sword in a few days (Cole meets an assistant to Ulfgar who will receive his Sending). Ariana activates her Word of Recall and the party finds themselves back at home, exhausted after a long day of vast travel. They stay up late into the evening discussing their plans for the future.

Avach is, by the way, completely awestruck. Just who has he hooked up with who teleport a thousand miles to the Dwarven mountains on a whim? It's too late now to worry about the Sword, and a peace comes over him as he drifts off to sleep.

(DM's note: An exciting night, let me tell you! My players were great sports as I paused several times to sketch out what would happen as they completely surprised me. Maybe things worked out too conveniently, but sometimes you just have to roll with it and do what's most fun for everyone. We all had a great time, including me -- I've been playing nothing but enemies or half-enemies of the party for some time now. It was a pleasant change of pace to play some allies!)

(DM's note: This session was a wrapup session. Some things were roleplayed, others summed up. Chronology was not perfect -- we sometimes jumped around a bit. I'll try and hit the major points!)

Kaia brings her heavy hammer down on the lifeless Fallen Angel, strangely fascinated by the rapidly healing wounds. Avach helps, and between the two of them they manage to reopen every closing gash, crush every bone that is healing ... but they know they will eventually get tired. Cole remembers that they have seen some evil weapons in a vault that Lady Vladaam opened some time back. He offers to go get them, magically, to make the trip fast.

He is interrupted by a musical voice, asking them to stop what they were doing. Standing behind them is a vision of purity, a Planetar bathed in white light. Asufiel, an ancient angel of goodness, has come to beg for mercy. He tells the party that what they do is up to them, but that this being was once Bastion, a mighty foe of evil, and he deserves better than to be beaten to death here. He describes to the party some of the story, of how the Dread One's Path leads to a source of evil which corrupted even this great Angel.

The party agrees to stop, and Asufiel opens a gate to a realm of blinding white purity. As the party shields their eyes, the Angel carries his fallen companion through the gate, which closes. The party sighs in relief, and begins cleaning up after themselves.

Ariana places a Wind Walk upon the party, and they descend down the spire, sealing doors as they go. They finally make their way back to Sagaryntis, who is now in human form and working on the Sealing Generator. He is thrilled with the party's success, and accepts their help graciously. Within a half-week, the generator is complete (DM's note: I completely fudged this time estimate -- at this point I was just trying to wrap things up in a satisfactory way). Cole seals the Warrens physically with a Stone Wall spell, and the party walks away, knowing the place is sealed.

Mostly. Sagaryntis tells the party that as long as a physical means for entering the vault exists, a Wish can grant access. Even if the key is imprisoned in the vault, it is not safe. It must be destroyed, but nobody is sure how.

Yaeshla speaks up, and explains that she is sure she could do it, though it would likely break her again. This time, though, she knows she will be repaired within a century. Not only that, she knows that her purpose would be completely fulfilled at that point.

The party leaves the city and walks nearly all day, until they find a secluded area. Cole says goodbye to everyone, since he's not sure he'll survive. He takes Yaeshla and the Hand of Danar, and stops some 200 feet away. He says goodbye to Yaeshla, and strikes the hand. He is engulfed in an explosion as time slows for him. He sees the hand melting away as the staff is blown to pieces. He blacks out.

(DM's note: I fudged this as well. Random chance of being shunted to another plane, or taking damage, whatever ... I just decided Cole would go into a coma for a few days. Everything else was too much of a pain for a group that knew it was retiring these characters after that session.)

The party quickly returns Cole to Ptolus and nurse him back to health. They go on a tour of the city, explaining the final conclusion of events to everyone in turn. At the Great Church, they are promised great rewards if they will accept them, including a ceremony honoring them. They decline. When talking with Jevicca, they learn that the Inverted Pyramid is suffering greatly due to fears of corruption at the top. Jevicca is somewhat honest with them, and says that she regrets taking part in the sealing ceremony. Cole is merciless in incriminating her and the organization, basically calling her a coward for not leaving them and striking out on her own. Avach, however, more or less accepts the apology Jevicca offers for his master's behavior. The party also visits Lady Ishara Jare, and fills her in on the ending as well. She is happy, and hopes to see them more often. Lastly, the party visits Lt. Dominic Khatru, and returns to him his family's sword, which they used!
to slay the Iron Golem. They tell him very little of what has happened, but assure him the city is safer today than it was yesterday. Everybody who should know what's going on, now knows.

They decide they need to travel back to Callon immediately, to try and get the cursed rings purified and to submit the magical spear tip for reconstruction. Sagaryntis decides to stay in Ptolus for a few weeks to study up on world history. He accepts a gift from the party of some gold, to help himself get situated. He never does apologize for nearly killing the entire party, however, a fact which does not go unnoticed. They also convince Admeh to come with them to Callon, so he can hear the entire Banewarrens story.

Outside the city gates, Kaia calls forth her magical mount -- a Celestial Bull granted her by Korak. With more than a few curious stares, the party heads towards Callon, telling the story as they go to a very curious bard.

(DM's note: Everything up until now was roleplayed out. I have skipped over many details, but that's the basic thrust of it. What follows was presented to the party as a sort of epilogue, without any interaction on their part. It was nice to have a chance to give a real "ending" to a story.)

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The party buys the Manor House and begins its renovation. They pour considerable funds into it, and Kaia oversees the construction with the help of Master Builder Alec, and gets to know many of the craftsmen in Ptolus during the process.

They travel to the Dwarven Kingdom several months later to celebrate the cleansing of the Sword of Lies and its successful return to the Courts of Maal, but they stay in and around Ptolus, mostly, having grown attached to the city in their time there.

Cole lives in Ptolus but does a lot of traveling. He visits the Elves of the Tilune Forest with Sileia, and there learns even more about magic and history from the long-lived but reclusive Elves.

Eventually he takes an apprentice, steering a talented but feisty human away from a potentially short road of greed and towards a long road of enlightenment.

Over the years he grows more and more frustrated with the politics of Ptolus and spends more and more time traveling to distant lands and even other planes.

Kaia also stays in Ptolus. She is granted the title of Grand Maker in a ceremony in Callon, and is specifically asked (but not ordered) to remain in Ptolus and do what she can to pave the way for the establishment of a Guildhall within the city's thriving guild district.

She eventually becomes one of the most highly regarded Arcstones of her time, and her presence in Ptolus is key to the city opening a thriving guildhall. She and Yuri become good friends and are instrumental in several major discoveries below the city.

Ariana stays in Ptolus but increasingly finds herself leaving the city proper and shepherding the farmers outside the city. She eventually discovers a balance between smiting evil and growing crops, and after some visits from other Prelates, starts her own Foundation outside Ptolus.

Yuri stays with the party, and is always ready to accompany any of them on any dangerous journey. With Kaia, he is instrumental in uncovering some of the deepest secrets below Ptolus. While he worships Korak he never becomes an excellent craftsman.

Therras never again goes on an "adventure." He strikes up a friendship with Admeh the Bard. The story of the Banewarrens, or a sanitized version of it, is told around the city, and Therras finds himself with lots of attention. He gets more in touch with his social side and makes many connections in the city.

After a period of several months of coolness, he reconciles with the party and remains friendly with them for years to come. He helps the party in his own way, often giving them key information that he gathers in his social circles.

House Vladaam is scandalized when a random break-in to their compound turns deadly. City Guards, coming to investigate the noise, come upon werewolves in Vladaam finery. A fight ensues and both Navanna and Alistair are arrested and charged with a variety of crimes. Rumors that the entire situation was arranged so as to trap the Vladaams quietly persist for months.

Alistair folds under pressure and sells his sister (and their allies) out. Navanna takes all the heat, while Alistair walks. Her trial is the talk of the city for months, and eventually the city's council votes for a punishment of death. The vote is close, and there is rampant speculation on who votes for what.

Navanna is spared by the Great Church, who argue successfully for mercy. She is imprisoned within the Church and robbed of all noble benefits. She is not heard from again. Alistair takes over House Vladaam due to the extended absence of Iristul and under his direction the house is plundered of its influence, power, and wealth.

When Iristul eventually returns, Alistair mysteriously disappears to "take care of family business outside the city." Iristul does what he can to restore the House, and begins the arduous task of trying to determine how his family fell from grace. His eyes will surely eventually turn to the Shining Band.

Ptolus has some serious problems with House Vladaam and its allies on the run. Fingers point everywhere and every house with a grudge tries to get their enemies accused of crimes. The Courts of Maal step in and help keep things sane.

The Courts of Maal experience a huge resurgence when the Sword is Returned. More Justicars come, and they coexist peacefully with the Great Church for years.

The Pactlords aren't heard of for a long time. They give up on the Banewarrens but not on their overall quest. They are scattered and suffer greatly, however.

The Sword of Lies is cleansed by the Dwarves. After letting things cool down for a while, the Koraketh hand the Sword over to the Courts of Maal. It eventually makes its way back to Ptolus, and is accompanied by a new batch of faithful who help revive the Courts there. Over the years, while the Great Church remains political, the Courts of Maal are always counted on to be neutral in all things, seeking justice and equality. A new "golden age" for the Courts begins in the region when the Sword is brought to Ptolus. For years, scholars question whether the prophecy is fulfilled, or if some greater destiny awaits the Sword.

The Inverted Pyramid suffers greatly after the sealing of the Warrens. Through scattered communications, the party learns of a great struggle for power within the organization. Many feel that the group went too far in trying to seal the Warrens themselves, and there is great suspicion relating to whether Avach's mental domination was officially sanctioned or not. In the end, new leadership takes over. It's unclear where Jevicca stands in the entire mess, but signs point to her being instrumental in forcing the changes that take place.

The Great Church continues along in its role as the primary source of faith for the people of Ptolus. Outsiders do not see all that takes place, but continuing communication with Reverend Mother Donna Mara suggests that the Church has had struggles in the past relating to becoming too political, and the situation with the Banewarrens, and especially House Vladaam, is another of these. Years later, Donna Mara confesses to the party that the events surrounding the Banewarrens almost left to her resigning from her post. She is glad that she stayed, and remains a foil of idealism in an organization with constant political concerns. The Paladins begin a quest to destroy the Pactlords wherever they may be, which promises to take years.

House Sadar is severely shaken in the aftermath of the Banewarrens events. With one of the high-ranking sons of the House embroiled in the controversy surrounding the Pyramid's actions, the other is implicated in many scandals as Alistair Vladaam cracks under pressure. For years, the House is weak and struggles financially. The other Houses are quick to take advantage of the situation, and House Sadar may never fully recover.

The Knights of the Chord never gain much notoriety, but they remain a quiet force for good, working outside the law and without regard for politics. Though the party never learns the truth, they strongly suspect that it was this group that led to the collapse of House Vladaam.