Rasputin…. ALIVE?!


The rakshasa gives the heroes directions on where to find the shadow dragon, Rasputin

  • says he’s holding up in some supposedly haunted ruins near Shadowport
  • legion enters into an agreement with the rakshasa to pay for the ruined shop and to ensure it won’t come at us again
    • promise to pay again if we’re successful
    • legion gives him a stack of coins to get them started
  • “don’t expect to find just Rasputin” – disaffected members of the Shadow Prince’s organization probably rallied to the dragon’s cause
  • says the “sun never shines completely” on these ruins – part of the curse

Montage:

  • Legion: the shadows seem darker and longer as we approach the ruins located in a deep valley – even Legion has to admit there’s something to it
  • Merian: Rasputin was trying to goad and hint at Merian‘s heritage… as they approach, the portraits that Merian saw in Casila‘s tower keeps flashing in his head again, surrounded by a circle of dark clouds – seems like Rasputin is trying to mock her from afar
  • Puki: symbols of a battle on the way to the ruins that mimicked a lot of the fighting styles that we had witnessed between Master Throatcutter and the draconics
  • Idris: find the body of what looks to be a demon, but it’s not a demon that Idris is familiar with, it looks like a fusion between a demon and a dragon… puzzling even the demon slayer
  • Nidalru: as we were leaving Shadowport, just outside the city, Nidalru noticed a young girl, certainly a thief, begging for money.  As Nidalru giving her the coin, and the girl pulled Nidalru close and said, “Be wary of the Rakshasa, they cannot be trusted, be sure.”

Approaching the keep… it almost seems like the gloom surrounding this place… might be the Shadowfell manifested here?  Is it possible that The Shadow Thief is more than just a rogue-par-excellence?

  • So you have found me again – not willing to let anything go?  Why not kill the dark elf – still denying she has betrayed the rest of you.  Why do you chase me so much?  I am not putting claw to little town you call home – we are far from Hildebrande – what do you want from me
  • Idris tells the shadow dragon that he comes into possession of things we want
  • the heroes discuss with Rasputin what he wants and he makes clear he is the mortal enemy of The Prince of Shadows and wants to supplant him
  • He hands Legion three names on a paper that he wants eliminated and to be shown evidence of:
  • Legion agrees with every intention of killing those he didn’t know, and using Nidalru‘s doppleganger clone to ‘fake’ her death
  • Legion gives the paper to Idris and tells Nidalru “don’t worry”
  • The rest of the party cannot abide the ruse however, and Idris draws his brilliant, glowing blade…

ENGAGE

  • The heroes thrash Rasputin handily, and disappears into the earth, promising to exact his vengeance one day
  • As Rasputin disappeared, he called Nidalru “Bride of the Prince” – Legion‘s eyes widened
  • Rasputin‘s drider and  drown spider sorceress surrender, promising to show the heroes what they came for in exchange for their lives
  • Legion, drawing a steel-coloured vial from his belt, whispered dark words and trapped one of Rasputin‘s minions inside – to use his own essence to hunt Rasputin again

  • The riders and the drown spider-sorceress tell the heroes that Rasputin didn’t actually have the eye
  • he had already traded it to a cloud giant named Claptius who controls a floating island with mercenaries
  • They made some sort of a deal that Rasputin said would aid him greatly, and involved taking over Shadowport, lest the giants raze it to the ground
  • The captives said that Rasputin ‘knew’ the Undaunted were coming, but it may have only been a sense of inevitability, though Legion already suspected the Rakshasa in Shadowport named The Alchemist had warned Rasputin through some magical means
  • Asking about the term “Bride of the Prince”, the captives seemed sure Nidalru knew what they meant, and begged her not to go through with her plan – that one even such as the Elf Queen could be fooled by the Prince of Shadows
  • Nidalru seems genuine that she does not know what’s going on





Engage!

  1. Shadow Thieves – Shadow Strangulation
  2. Rasputin – Nightmare Breath – Legion can’t stop – not a spell
  3. Idris – Phemuel of the Ninety-Seventh Azord
  4. Drow Spider-Sorceress – Greater Malediction of Webs
  5. Legion – Neutralize Magic – CRITICAL
  6. Puki – Invocation of Strength, Mantle of Mists, Spirits of the Righeous
  7. Drider – Lightning Bolt spell
  8. Merian – Dark Smiting Blade
  9. Nidalru – Bleeding Stike
  10. Legion – Black Lightning
  11. Rasputin – Nightmare Breath
  12. Idris – Barrier Strike
  13. Puki – Divine Endurance
  14. Idris – Confused
  15. Rapsutin – Shadow Claws
  16. Idris – Sword of Light

DM: Cloud Giant Klabdius

Author: Turnerbuds