Adventures in Azuran – Part 2

The month of Nevermoon has arrived.  At the end of the month, Azuran inhabitants hold an event called All Dark Eve where people dress up in costume and have parties celebrating the time when all three moons leave the sky.  This is similar in many ways to the month of October and the celebration of Halloween.

The Diamond Skull of Mithras, a 1000 year old artifact, is coming to the museum in Moon’s Crossing to be placed on display for a short time.  Rumor has it that an Elf thief named Kartoth is also coming to town to try and steal it.  Our group has been tasked with securing the skull while on display.

At the Guardian Corps barracks, Querldox, a Gnome Wizard, is the main Artificer who develops and maintains major pieces of technology for Azuran.  He has an assistant, a human named Lyle.  They are both working on some research that our group was not able to learn much about.  A heightened state of awareness surrounds the barracks – a general fear of explosion or fire. Apparently, this has happened before.

Our group decided to visit the museum ahead of the skull’s arrival to perform a security sweep and develop a plan.  Amrahen cast Detect Magic in various parts of the museum to determine if there was anything magical in place to impede our protection efforts and/or aid the thief. The pedestal where the skull will be placed was searched for secret compartments or other imperfections. Nothing was found.

Thunder and Ashton meet with Akira Sapphirebraids, a Hill Dwarf female who is the Captain of the Centurion Patrol at Moon’s Crossing.  They let her know that we found nothing at the museum, but we request additional troops to help with crowd control and general security.  She agreed.  Be’el decided to go shopping and wandered into a music shop looking for a new flute. At the shop, he runs into a little girl who said she liked his playing.

Several of our group decided to get costumes and go to an All Dark Eve party that night.  Be’el wasn’t too thrilled about going, but he was convinced to attend under the guise of it being a team building exercise.  At the party, everyone was having drinks except Amrahen (Warforged don’t need toeat or drink), so he decided to observe the festivities and keep an eye on his cohorts.  He witnessed Ashton and Thunder proceed to drink WAY too much.  Ashton found, and consumed, a special brownie; the combination caused him to pass out.  Be’el noticed the child from the music shop at the party, but nobody else saw her.  Thunder decided to dance on a table, Amrahen talked him down and the group decided it was time to turn in for the night.

Guarding the skull at the museum the next day ended without incident.  The display room on the second floor had guards at each door and there was strict limit of how many visitors would be allowed in at any one time.  All of the windows were nailed shut, with the promise to cast Mending on each of them when this was over to restore them to their original antique states.  Outside, on the ground below the windows,members of the Centurion Patrol stood guard. At night, under heavy guard, the skull was brought to the Centurion Patrol Headquarters which has a large vault. Once the skull was in the vault, Be’el and Amrahen keep guard for the night.  The rest of the party go partying to local venue named The Red Rajah.

The skull was returned to the museum the next day and visitors were allowed to view it while our security measures were in place.  As time approached closing time,a small group of visitors entered the viewing room.  Someone cast a Sleep spell, then a male character grabbed the skull from the pedestal and ran into the corner of the room.  Fenjor cast Whip but missed.  The male thief in the corner cast Darkness.  Amrahen, calling out for backup, rushed into the darkness swinging his staff, attempting to strike the thief, but was unsuccessful.  Be’el, who was outside with the Centurion Patrol, rushed inside and made his way up the stairs.  Ashton missed the thief with his rapier.  Two accomplices of the thief attack.

Fenjor thrust his spear into an accomplice with a natural 20!  We heard a glass window break from inside the magically darkened area. Amrahen swings his staff in vain again through the darkness.  Thunder cast a Sleep spell so the coverage area swept over the area of darkness. The thief and an accomplice were unable to resist and succumbed.  The area of darkness dissipated.  Oso ran up and took the skull from the thief,but noticed it was not the real skull.  A switch must have been made during the confusion.  Be’el missed an accomplice with Shocking Grasp, but Aston struck another with his rapier.

Fenjor fumbled his attack. Amrahen restrained the sleeping thief to ensure he stayed put.  Thunder rushed to aid Fenjor and killed the accomplice.  Oso cast Mind Thrust, Be’elcast Shocking Grasp.  Both missed their targets.  The last accomplice disengaged Ashton and made an attempt to flee.  The attempt was unsuccessful as Ashton struck her down after a short chase.

With combat over, the search began for the skull.  The sleeping burglars were roused and interrogated.  One spilled the beans that Kartoth was there with a cloak of invisibility and he made off with the real skull.  Searching the building, it is noticed that the museum curator was missing. Thunder and Amrahen find the curator tied up in his office.  He was able to provide a description of his assailant to Thunder, who produced a sketch. While this was happening, Ashton and Be’el investigate the basement and discover a secret door that opens into a dark tunnel.

Distant, fast footsteps are heard down the tunnel.

Previous Adventures in Azuran:
Adventures in Azuran – Part 1