Session XXV & XXVI - yan-c-bin part I

 After spending the night in Vanifer's appartments, our heroes discuss the next steps while making their daily preparations. The sound of a locked door rattling alerts Halvarth of intruders. The team reacts promptly, taking strategic positions before opening the door. 

What appears to be one of late Vanifer's lieutenant stands in the forge room, flanked by a retinue of eternal flame priests and guardians, an Efreeti and a Chimera. Bastian Thermandar appears pleased to learn of Vanifer's demise and offers to help the party in their endeavors, specifically when it comes to stopping the Crushing Waves Cult. All he asks in return is the dagger that was in his former leader's possession. 

Clearly unwilling to compromise with the evil cult, our heroes move on the offensive. Another bloody battle ensues with both the Efreeti and Bastian finding their way inside the altar room. With a quick glance at Vanifer's empty robes laying on the floor, the later takes cover out of sight and is never seen again.

After dispatching with the remaining enemies, Elthas uses a locate portal ability while Tico simultaneously uses a locate creature spell. They determine that both a portal and Bastian are located a few hundred feet underground and to the North-East of their current location.

Exploring the now silent dungeon, the party finds empty dormitories, a vast forge room with lava flowing underneath and what was labelled as prison cells on the Tiefling's hand drawn map. 

Opening one cell at random, the party comes face to face with three taciturn Azers who's expressionless visages seem to be awaiting orders. They are evidently grateful at the prospect of being freed and happily oblige when questionned about the cult's activities.

Opening the last door, the party is assailed by a giant salamander who goes down fighting and cursing.

A secret door at the back of this cell leads to party to an ancient armory where the heroes manage to salvage a magical shield with a strange contraption which seems to be keeping track of time.

Narrowly avoiding a patch of brown mold, a strange breeze which is becoming stronger by the minute starts to worry the party members. Intent on exiting this now desolate place, Trash leads the way before eventually coming face to face with Yan-C-Bin himself. Accompanied by four Howling Hatred Priests and two air elemental myrmidon, the prince wastes no time in declaring his violent intentions. 

Initially in the shape of an old man with swirling breeze surrounding him and looking angry, he turns in a large tornado of violent winds making the entire area difficult to move in. With aerial limbs extracting chunks of its own sides, the Prince of Elemental Air throws wind elementals in the party's direction.

Trash and Kella rush forward to stop him and his mymidons in their tracks while Elthas, Tico and Halvarth fend off the air elementals. 

Yan-C-Bin manages to slide forward getting Savra in sight. Recognising her as a previous servant of his, with a wry smile he pulls all the air out of her lungs and general vicinity as she falls to the ground suffocating. 

The Howling Hatred Priests cribble Trash with volleys of magic missiles while air elementals launch Tico against the wall and mount attacks on Elthas and Halvarth.  

The priests finally fall to their graves as Trash launches a lightning bolt and Elthas shoots arrows from afar. Kella assaults the myrmidon with no respite and Tico finally manages to wriggle free and banish one of them. 

Very little attacks are focus on Yan-C-Bin who appears to be revelling in the chaos. Once most of the minions are taken care of, the latter attemps a last spell, swiftly counterspelled by Tico as the evil prince glides away, inviting the heroes to bring him his due in his lair.

A heated debate follows, only made more complicated by a plea for help by Sister Garael who appears to be cornered in Summit Hall's crypt. While being heartbroken at the idea of abandoning allies, Bruldenthar and Kella both strongly believe the party should head down to the air portal and to Yan-C-Bin. Tico, Trash, Elthas and Halvarth disagree and the party opt in using Hal's new teleportation ability to head back to the crypt. 

They quickly find Sister Garael, Lord Barnaby Belmont and Arilyn Moonblade, all very badly hurt trying desperatly to hold off a horde of zombies attempting to make their way through the gate while Ushier Stormbanner remains unconscious from her wounds, albeit in a stable condition. 

Thinking on his feet, Trash magically locks the door. Confident the spell will successfully hold back the zombies. After Tico brings first aid to Ushien, she tells a grim story of one of her former knights having came back to Summit Hall after scouting the fort's surroundings. With a strange glare in his gaze, he brushed it off to being overworked. Little did Ushien know, he headed straight to the crypt and desecrated Samular Caradoon's body, lifting the divine blessing in the process. Shortly after, zombies, spectres, wights and wraith assaulted the grounds, decimating refugees, feeding their own army in the process. The Knights of Samular didn't stand a chance. 

Renwick, the Lich, having finally learned the location of one of The Rings of Samular, wasted no time and took it by force. 

Seeing no point in everyone here risking their life trying to take the fort back, Halvarth does the ritual once again, bringing everyone to safety in the Harpers hideout in Waterdeep, at the back of an inconpiscious backery. 

Sister Garael offers to look for some contacts delving in the trade of magical items so the party could make the most out of their trip to the city. She suggests they to head towards Khelben's house to rest and promises to come back with good news whithin the next day-night cycle.

Arriving at Khelben's, our heroes do not hesitate to give him a detailed accounts of the dire situation in the Dessarin valley and the information they've uncovered so far. The latter brings them a hefty pouch containing 10,000 gold pieces and offers all of its mercantile contacts so the party can gear up and finish handling the situation.