A/N: And here we go! Let's see what lies ahead for our heroes, shall we?
Disclaimer: I don't own Dungeons and Dragons. I only own my original ideas.
Chapter 41: Nessandra
We continued into the next chamber, which was perfectly circular and also featured a domed ceiling. Both were completely covered with intricate sigils that glowed with a dim amber radiance. The floor was featureless and empty, save for a single woven mat. An imposing figure turned at our entrance. She appeared to be a female warrior clad in ebony plate mail of unusual design, replete with horned helm, serrated vambraces, and ornate cuirass. Hanging from her hip was a coiled rope that glowed like fitful embers. Her face, framed by unruly blonde tresses that peak from beneath her helm, was comely but her features were sharp and her eyes cruel. Wings with dusky red feathers unfurled at her back and she fingered her sword pommel.
"Ah, I thought I heard someone approaching," said the woman, "I hope Aisbaddon put of a good fight".
"And you are?" asked Lydratir.
"You may call me Nessandra," said the woman, "My… associates and I arrived in this place after a plan of ours went wrong".
"Well, you're still talking," said Narcrath, "What exactly do you want here?"
"In this place? Not much," said Nessandra, "we would rather leave".
"So, you know of a way out?" I asked carefully.
"Perhaps, I believe will has something to do with exiting this place," said Nessandra, "I believe that this chamber may be key to exiting to the Material Plane".
I thought on Nessandra's words, and then remembered what I'd seen at the entrance of this place the symbol for 'desire'. I didn't think she was lying, but simply mistaken.
"Perhaps we should travel together for a time," said Nessandra, "I could dissuade my companions from attacking you".
I glanced to my allies, and saw that they agreed: we couldn't trust Nessandra, but perhaps she could be of use to us.
"If that's what you wish, you may come along," I said, "We have our own purposes for being here".
Nassandra lowered her hand from the pommel, and smirked.
We returned the way we'd come, returning all the way to the trophy room. We continued deeper in via the eastern exit. This hallway soon turned south, and led us to a four-way intersection. We decided to explore the eastern passage first. This brought us into a sizable chamber that appeared to be a laboratory. A long table near the door held various pieces of glassware— beakers, tall flasks, rows of vials in racks, and other oddly shaped containers.
Numerous small boxes and clay containers were on display, as are jugs wrapped with thick twine, a bucket, and two casks. Against a far wall were several large, lidded bins. Near the center of the room was a larger, low-set table that supported something large covered with a dust sheet. The shrouded object was at least eight feet across.
Krisyra stepped forwards, and found a vellum scroll attached to the underside of the large table.
"What's this?" asked Krisyra as she began to read the scroll, "To create the Vessel of Endless Wastes requires a gem of utmost quality. The Vessel must be maintained, lest the Hideaway fall. The Vessel cannot be easily accessible. Protect it".
"That sound like a set of notes for the artifact maintaining this place," said Narcrath.
Suddenly, two beams of energy shot from under the cloth, one towards Lydratir, the other towards Nessandra. Both evaded the beams, but a moment later our foe was revealed as the cloth slid off revealing what looked like a Beholder… except that its central eye was blind, and the entire creature smelled of rot.
Nessandra charged in, swinging three times but only striking once. Narcarth summoned up a chromatic orb and fired if off as lightning. Krisyra called up a flame and launched it at the undead beholder, but it missed. Lydratir swiftly drew back his bow and fired twice, with both arrows finding their mark. I took a couple swipes at the undead beholder, but I was off target. The beholder fired its eye rays again, but both Charles and Lydratir evaded the attacks.
Nessandra swung her wickedly barbed longsword around again this time striking twice. As she did, the beholder seemed to be a bit dazed. Narcrath fired off another chromatic orb of lightning. Krisyra launched another flame, this time striking true. Lydratir took careful aim with his bow, and placed an arrow right through the blind central eye of the undead beholder. The fell magics animating this creature failed, and it crumbled to the ground.
An examination of the chamber revealed little more of interest, so we returned to the junction. We next checked the path to the south, coming to another junction. This time, there was a path to the west and a door to the south. We checked to the south first.
As we stepped into this room, an acrid smell assaulted our nostrils. This large, unusually shaped chamber appeared largely empty, but the floor bore the remains of chalk markings and wax drippings. A wooden box sat on the floor, just inside the entrance. The wall at the far end of the room is thoroughly blackened, as if burnt by incredible heat. Other walls here also bear black marks and are oddly scored.
"Well, I think we may have found Deldrammon's practice room," said Narcrath as he checked the box, "not much in here but spare chalk and candles".
We left the room, and continued down the hall, it twisted and, turned before letting us out into another chamber.
The chamber was circular, lit softly from overhead. At one side of the chamber was a pew-like stone bench. At the other side of the room was a small round table, atop which were two metal flasks on a silver tray. Across the room were towering metal doors, some 20 feet high and covered in runes and leering, otherworldly faces… and standing guard in front of the doors were a pair of fiendish creatures. They had purple, chitin-like skin and four arms. Their heads were oblong and insectoid in appearance, including prominent mandibles and large, multi-faceted eyes. As they noticed us, they grinned maliciously.
A/N: And so the party continues deeper into the Hideaway, with their completely not trustworthy fiendish companion Nessandra in tow. what will the find beyond these next door? The Vessel of Endless Wastes must be somewhere within this place. Next time, our heroes continue deeper into the Hideaway, in hopes of location the Vessel of Endless Wastes. See you then!