April 6-8, T.A. 1355
Nils, Vyrus, Fasolia, Rurik, and Fin arrive at the Roman camp north of Redmark, intent on finding the Princess Anastasia who is still missing, as well as rescuing Fin’s younger brother Logan (who was seen as a prisoner in the camp during Princess Thalia‘s scrying of the area.
The party stays hidden due to a spell cast by Vyrus, and using their boots of levitation, then approach the main tent in the center of the camp where they suspect Hadrianus is located. Fasolia unleashes a wind elemental who begins to wreak havoc and causes a distraction. Meanwhile, the PCs make their way to the prison tents, where they free Logan and 11 other prisoners. The heroes help the prisoners escape from the camp, but Logan remains behind, now armed and seeking vengeance on Hadrianus, who (it is sadly revealed) has slain Reese, the middle brother of Logan and Fin.
Entering the tent of Hadrianus, they see that things have gone quiet. Inside the tent, the air elemental has gone passive, apparently charmed by Hadrianus.
Hadrianus taunts the heroes, but the heroes return the barbs by revealing that Marcellus is dead. Hadrianus, enraged, transforms into a horrific spider creature and attacks the party.
The fight is dire, and one debilitating effect of the spider’s attack is causing multiple levels of exhaustion — in only a couple of bites, the creature could kill one of the heroes!
Hadrianus plunges the tent into magical darkness, but Fasolia uses magical lights to re-illumine the area.
Logan is on the verge of death (only 4 hit points!) when Fin hatches a plan; he jumps above the spider and dives down, pinning Hadrianus to the table. Fin inserts his immovable rod onto the creature’s back, making the creature prone and vulnerable! The heroes and the spider continue to battle, but the tides seem to have turned. Fin attempts a killing blow but misses spectacularly. No matter, Logan manages to land the killing blow, severing the creature’s lower jaw.
The dead creature has some vestage of spirit remaining and monologues in sepulchre tones, saying that while the plan to have Marcellus marry Princess Anastasia has failed, and the Roman invasion seems imperilled, their is yet a third plan that remains which will plunge the world into darkness under the control of the forces of Chaos. Hadrianus then dissolves into a swarm of dung beetles which burrow into the dirt.
Fasolia does an amazing air-bound performance (including magical pyrotechnics) to persuade the Romans (now leaderless, several centurians having died at the hands of the air elemental) to follow him. Most of the Romans believe him to be Zeus, and are afraid and break camp to return home. 20 Romans bow and vow to serve Fasolia, who they view as Zeus incarnate.
The heroes then make their way to Redmark, hoping to scry again to try and locate Princess Anastasia. It is morning as they approach the city. They are shocked to see pillars of eldritch energy burst forth from several locations in the city, beaming up into the sky. Meanwhile, clouds in the sky above are swirling, peppered with bolts of lightning. What is going on in Redmark?
