77b: Queenmakers

Talsil 15th - 16th
Raising a Vampire Queen

Scooping up the fallen Isabella and the crippled Tamas, the party fled back to the dungeon with heavy clamor chasing at their heels. Hastily taking the secret passage, they narrowly avoided discovery by troll legionnaires, who instead found the corpses in the torture chamber and sounded the alarm.

Fleeing down the tunnel and into the kitchen, Renato and Diana managed masterful sneaks passed busy orc and goblin cooks, but the graceless Dude with Tamas over his back knocked over a tower of dirty pots before he'd taken three steps. The ensuing fight was quick, but thunderously loud, and in the process Diana was scratched by an infected goblin and contracted something nasty...

As Renato slipped into the feast hall, hoping the kitchen skirmish had gone unnoticed, he nearly walked head-into-chest of an investigating troll. The assassin managed to kick the creature into the waiting clutches of his allies and they made mince meat of the monster in no time.

Fleeing the feast hall, they came to the long stairs before the Wailing Door. Beyond lied the courtyard, the duergar, and escape, yet the narrow corridor was choked with frenzied trolls rushing in and out of the keep, mobilizing at a variety of check points and frantic to find their king. As they plotted ways to sneak beyond, Dude wished them luck and decided to try his luck with the treasury portals. After long, Tamas hobbled after him, but was spotted by the roving trolls and mercilessly chased.

Diana and Renato, Izzy over his shoulder, ducked and dodged their way to the wailing door, but Diana was spotted as they tore it open. She overcompensated for the discovery, mentioning assassination and king in the same declaration, and suddenly dozens of hulking monsters were clamoring to get her. She turned to mist at claws wrapped around her delicate frame, then, and silently wished the assassin well before spending the next day renegotiating the caverns back to Drelzna's door.

Renato used the distraction to slip into the dormitory and the sanctuary of the duergar's suite. After relinquishing the crown jewel, they were more than willing to help, stuffing the pair into one of their trunks and spiriting them out of the city (three hours of jolts, drops and several tense pauses).

Well-removed from Tsojcanth City, the vampire and his dark dwarven allies parted ways, but not before he gave them the mysterious ore, a down payment on its forging, and a little something extra for all their help. Clandash, Saspien and Barovia were now allies, and Izolda too once it was risen again.

Feeling accomplished, the assassin navigated the tunnels with ease and met back up with Diana the next day. Together they opened the great family tree and found the menacing, fly-ridden Fraz-Urb'luu waiting alone in the sanctum. After a tense parlay, during which neither vampire crossed the protected threshold, Fraz revealed the seneschal was his son (which may or may not be true).

Renato eventually entered within the demon lord's grasp for a chance to save the princess. In exchange, he was made to forfeit the location of the Planar Nexus. As Isabella slowly returned to her proper state of mind, the ancient demon taunted the wary Diana, still standing outside the chamber, by materializing behind her. He'd been capable of exiting the sanctum whenever he liked, it was the Caverns that were the real prison. Her inflated sense of security was nothing more than a figment. Once he vanished with a cruel chuckle, the vampires breathed a sigh of relief.

Drelzna was roused and thanked them for all their efforts, especially in locating the Planar Nexus. She wasn't perturbed in the least at Fraz's departure, and asked Renato to inform Nuq of the location as well, thereby allowing his freedom. She admitted that it was her intention all along to rid the Caverns of her rivals one way or another. In Baphomet's case, the party was able to defeat his host, but in the case of Fraz-Urb'luu and Nuq Qabib (who was really the almost cordial demon lord Pazuzu), there was no conceivable way for her or the party to vanquish them, so it was best to simply remove them from the equation. The only lingering challenge to her power was Seneschal Ervelis, and she was confident that his defeat was imminent.

Izolda would rise again thanks to her granddaughters' intervention and they would become her ambassadors to the 'new world'. Queen Drelzna promised to remind the vampire race of their proud heritage and honor her alliance with Saspien and Barovia. During their conversations, she took a real liking to Diana, even interrupting one of Isabella's stories to dote on her.

And once all three were gathered anew, and Renato had received the boon of Pazuzu's name, Drelzna insisted they rest in the sanctum while she procured a proper meal.


Experience: 4,233 xp each (47,258 total, LEVEL UP 14!)
Queenmakers, 5000
Escaping Jagged Keep, 3500
Nothing Short of Conspiracy, 3500
RP Bonus, 700
Magic: n/a
Boons: Pazuzu's Favor (Renato), Izoldanian Ambassadors (Diana, Isabella)...

Pazuzu's Favor
You have done well, Lord Ruiz, and service to Pazuzu is not without rewards.
Lvl 13
Demonic Boon
Property: When dealing with Pazuzu's demons, allies and affiliates, receive a +5 item bonus to Bluff, Diplomacy and Intimidate checks. When dealing with enemies of Pazuzu, receive a -5 penalty to Bluff, Diplomacy and Intimidate checks.
Power (Encounter): Move Action. You fly 7 squares.

Izoldanian Ambassadors
Go out, my granddaughters, and make ready the way, for Izolda rises again!
Lvl 13
Political Boon
Property: Gain a +1 item bonus to Charisma ability checks and Charisma-based skill checks (but not Charisma attacks).
Power (Daily): Immediate Interrupt. Trigger: You roll a Bluff, Diplomacy or Intimidate check you don't like. Effect: Add a +5 power bonus to your roll.

Coin: - 13,000 gp (Renato)
Loot: - magic ore (Renato)
Diseases: Gorgeworms (Renato, Advanced State), Tsojcanthi Fever (Diana, Initial Effect)

Gorgeworms
Ingested during an encounter with rat droppings, cave slime or some other foul substance, gorgeworms begin as small, white grub that nest in the small intestines. Consuming a portion of whatever the host eats, they quickly grow and multiply. The host's appetite increases in direct correspondence with the worm population, until which point he or she no longer benefits from anything they eat, no matter how much is gorged upon. Eventually the unsatisfied worms, about a foot long each, eat their host from the inside out and lay eggs in the rotted corpse.
Lvl 14
Endurance improve DC 23, maintain DC 18, worsen DC 17 or lower
Initial Effect: The worms are ingested and nest in the small intestines. The host finds his or her appetite increased.
Advanced State: The target takes a -2 penalty to Fortitude. The host requires three times as much food and drink as is normal, or else begins to starve. The target suffers bloating, stomach pains and a ravenous hunger.
Final State: The target dies as the matured worms eat their way out.

Tsojcanthi Fever
A deadly bacteria borne of the many vile fungi cultured in the Lost Caverns, it festers in open wounds, then infects the blood like fire, finally boiling the organs in their own juices, leaving the victim's insides entirely liquefied.
Lvl 16
Endurance improve DC 25, maintain DC 20, worsen DC 19 or lower
Initial Effect: The bacteria festers in the open wound, producing a pinkish foam and stinging something awful. The host's temperature is elevated and he or she loses a healing surge. This healing surge cannot be regained until after the disease is cured.
Advanced State: The host suffers Vulnerability 10 fire. All damage the target suffers gains the fire keyword in addition to it's other types. The host is burning with fever and suffers icy sweats.
Final State: The target dies as his or her insides are reduced to a boiling stew of bloody entrails.

New NPCs
Pazuzu (formerly Nuq Qabib): Demon Lord of the Lower Aerial Kingdoms, one of the most ancient of obyriths, a prince of evil creatures affiliated with birds, storms and sky. He was trapped by Iggwilv in the depths of the Lost Caverns, recently escaped upon the bidding of Queen Drelzna. Renato benefited from his favor.

Completed Quests
Queenmaker: The Dark Three chose to back Drelzna in her efforts to control the Caverns, putting down her opposition and releasing the rest thanks to the discovery of the Planar Nexus. Now in Drelzna's good graces, they have made a powerful ally and risen a budding, eastern power in Izolda. They are poised to enter Barovia on their journey toward Saspien.

Nothing Short of Conspiracy: Thanks to the help of the Clandashi duergar, The Dark Three were able to successfully infiltrate Jagged Keep, assassinate the possessed Rend and recover the Crown Jewel of Clandash. They have made a powerful ally of the eastern dark dwarves and helped established a unifying monarch out of Heliza.