Most epic fights end with a fairly lengthy period of denoument, and this one was no different. After transforming back to Milo, the halfling went to round up some Silver Shields to appraise them of the situation that had been brewing under the streets of Eldolan. While he was gone, the remaining heroes combed through Garados’ laboratory, to try to get clues as to what else the dark wizard was up to.
Searching the area revealed two more humanoid bodies with surgically removed organs and muscles lying in tubs along the back wall. Some of the magical equipment in the lab seemed rare and valuable, and would bring in approximately 500 gp to the right buyer (according to Legion). The bookshelves contained tomes on anatomy, rituals for creating undead and constructs, and other dark topics. They are the sort of books the Archmage‘s people would want to confiscate and lock away, but on the black market they could be worth another 200 gp (100 gp reward from the Archmage‘s people). There was also a handful of magic items on one of the workbenches that Garados was using to build the construct, including two Potions of Healing (adv), a +1 Rune, and a Potion of Negative Energy Resistance. In addition, a Manual of Enlightened Flesh that Garados was using to help him with the golem; it has a lot of notes in the margins about how the ideas in the book might apply to reanimated flesh.The study held a large table for the Seekers to meet, and various mundane items including a store of water, wine, and food. Finally, in his haste to escape, Garados seemed to have left behind his +1 Deathmark Wand.
The secret door was easy to find after a basic search by Nildaru. It led to another tunnel out of the lab; she surmised it led towards the docks area and therefore, his freedom. Between Garados and Landon Smithson, the traitor from the Dead Vaults, the dark elf was sure she’d get another chance at cutting some Seeker members.
Eventually, a contingent of Silver Shields showed up, with many others in tow. Therilsa Stormhand was amongst them, as were Odessa Rilantes, the head cleric at Dead Vaults, Laredes the sage, and Cornelius, the gnome wizard they had met at the Lamplighters Guild. The gnome looked especially upset; Therilsa leaned over and whispered to him causing him to nod in response while obviously holding back tears of embarrassment. You wondered what that was about…
The Silver Shields were following the directives of an impressive-looking woman named Michael-DE. She was quite different from your previous contact, Levi; she was assertive, calm, collected, and seemed genuinely upset that this should have happened in Eldolan. She made sure to express gratitude to you all for “the great service you have done, for the Silver Shields, the citizens, and Eldolan itself,” but she did it through gritted teeth. Not that you got the sense that any negativity was directed at you; rather, you saw it in the way she snapped at the men under her command, especially when they mentioned Commander Levi at all.
Therilsa nodded towards a somber Cornelius and walked over to you. She congratulated you all on routing the Seekers of the Lost from Eldolan, and presented a gift to Idris from the Golden Order: a gorgeous ornate metallic gauntlet for one’s sword hand…a fabled Dragon’s Claw Gauntlet. She then proceeded to explain how, while you were dealing with the Seekers, she was working on the original problem that brought you to Eldolan in the first place. She explained how Cornelius has a cousin, Moz, who is a wizard specializing in intra-dimensional magic. While the Archmage and the Great Gold Wyrm aren’t exactly allies, Cornelius acted as a go-between and has arranged for Moz to meet with you to discuss Legion‘s dimensional sojourn and how it seems to have bypassed the Archmage‘s wards. Only Legion, though…Therilsa explained how the life-form grafted to Milo needed to be examined more closely, to make sure he was free from demonic influence, and the Golden Order was better suited for that task. Realizing that it meant more time spent with Therilsa, Milo happily agreed.
Before plans could be made to seek out Cornelius’ cousin Moz, a figure stepped out of the shadows… Malice Sureshot. With the wide grin of a shark, she brazenly made small talk with Nidalru, right in front of Therilsa and the Silver Shields, talking about seemingly inconsequential matters. The frown on the beautiful drow’s face told otherwise, however…when the heroes finally got a moment to themselves, she explained how Malice was simultaneously speaking Thieves’ Cant, a language known to those familiar with the Prince of Shadows. Using the Cant, Malice explained how the time to pay her (and by extension, the Prince) back was now: the heroes were to eliminate a rival gang, the Redfangs, before leaving Eldolan. Consequences for refusal were left ambiguous, but Nildaru explained that it would mean looking over your shoulder for the rest of your lives…and that may not be all that long.
Resigning to completing this task, the Silver Shield in charge, Michael-DE, came to your group; you noticed that she wasn’t wearing the silver clasp that all the Silver Shields wore. She explained how she had wanted to be more involved in the Seeker case, but was met with discouragement and obstacles at every turn. She explained how she was embarrassed at how the Shields handled everything, and was very impressed at how you all stepped up. So, she quit she Shields in disgust and was hoping you had room for one more in your group…
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Dragon’s Claw Gauntlet (quick action – recharge 11+): This
elaborate golden gauntlet is made to resemble the claw of a
dragon. Your next attack that would normally target AC now
targets MD instead, as you hew at your enemy’s soul. Quirk:
Quick to judge.
Deathmark Wand (quick action – recharge 11+): This ghastly wand
resembles a bony finger. When you activate the wand, you must
nominate an enemy on the battlefield. Your next attack on that
enemy inflicts 1d4 extra negative energy damage for each round
since you nominated the foe (champion: make those d6s; epic:
d8s). So, if you mark a foe for death in the first round of combat,
but then don’t attack that foe for five rounds, your attack on that
enemy will benefit from 5 extra dice of negative energy damage,
hit or miss. Quirk: Enjoys watching others struggle or run.
