In the Temple of Orcus, Part I

Summary
After the harrowing battle in the bowels of the Keep, the party returned to town. They bore not only the body of Delfar but of the slain Underpriest as well.

Gaining an audience with Lord Padraig, the PCs showed him the Underpriest's body and queried the lord as to whether it was someone he might have recognized from the area. He informed them that it was not, but arranged to have the body immolated. In the meantime, Torinn arranged to have Delfar raised from the dead by SisterLinora.

After resting and recuperating, the party returned to the depths of the ruined keep. On their way back to the temple, they encountered a hobgoblin patrol. The creatures gave them no alternative but to fight, which they did. It was a surprisingly difficult battle but the party prevailed in the end.

Entering the temple, the heroes realized that there were chains (covered in blood) leading down the pit in the floor. Delfar led the way and climbed/slid down; he was shortly followed by the other PCs.

In the main temple the party finally found Kalarel, the Scion of Orcus and leader of the evil forces of Shadowfell Keep. He was protected by two skeletal warriors and an Undead spell-caster. Negotiation was not an option, and once again violence ensued.

The party forced their way to Kalarel, heavily damaging the skeletons and hurting the priest. Unfortunately, he used a magical amulet to teleport to a circular glyph on the floor not too far away - and right in front of a large portal teaming with tendrils of blackness and evil. Pursuing Kalarel to the circle, the heroes were assailed with claws and tendrils from the portal, attemping to pull them through its the other side.

The battle raged on, with Kalarel and his one surviving skeleton guardian being empowered and healed by the glyph while the PCs tried to bring them down. The surge of luck they'd had earlier seemed to have faded, however; though Veshanna finally managed to destroy the wight, the PCs could not bring the Orcus priest down - and all the while the glyph's dark magic kept restoring the skeleton to its full strength.

Eventually, Torinn and Saeras fell, and are in danger of being pulled into the portal if death does not claim them first. Splug fights on but he is hurt badly. Kalarel has sustained substantial damage as well, but he need only outlast the remaining heroes in his evil healing circle. Can Splug, Delfar, and Veshanna summon the strength - and perhaps the luck - to finally stop him?

Memorable Events

• Delfar raised from the dead
• Epic battle against Orcus followers

Creatures Encountered

• Deathlock Wight
• Hobgoblins
• Skeleton Warriors

Treasures Discovered

• n/a

Locations Visited

• Shadowfell Keep

NPCs Encountered

• Kalarel, Scion of Orcus