Candle in the Dark Campaign Diary - Session 12: The Glory of Bahamut

The Cast:

• Enid, half-elf cleric of Bahamut
• Nashgar, dragonborn paladin of Bahamut
• Leilua, tiefling warlock
• Corrin, halfling barbarian

Having defeated a group of orcs transporting prisoners to the Gardmore Abbey village, the heroes find that one of Lord Markelhay's officers within.  The officer, Sir Oakley, tells them that Lord Markelhay was leading a group into the westlands of the vale to see if rumors of the orc incursion were true.  The band was attacked by a large contingent of orcs and many were captured.  Lord Markelhay was taken, presumably to the orc leading the invasion to be made an example of.  Sir Oakley says he was likely being taken to Gardmore Abbey to help the orcs get inside.  Sir Oakley tells the heroes what he knows of the abbey, from his exploration of it about 15 years ago, and says that it is infested with monsters and undead.  He tells them of the structures atop the hill and those within.  An evil presence forced him out of the Catacombs below the Grand Temple, and a similar issue prevented a full exploration of the Vaults (the dungeons below the Hall of Glory). The last thing Sir Oakley imparts to the group before leaving to alert Lady Markelhay of the situation is a secret staircase that was carved into the western side of the hill, which will allow the group to climb to the top without having to go through the occupied village.

Taking their leave of Sir Oakley, the group move slowly around the hill to avoid drawing the attention of the orcs, and by nightfall they make it to the western side, but the darkness prevents them from making any progress on finding the stair.  They make camp.  That night, Enid has a vision of brave knights falling in battle, being interred within a catacomb and then an evil entity invades and defiles the knight by raising their corpses to serve it and it's lord, Orcus.  During her watch, Leilua is visited by a group of fairies that claim her patron sent them to have Leilua retrieve something of interest from the Abbey and that she'd know it when she sees it.  

The following day, the group spends a few hours searching the hillside for this hidden staircase and finally find it.   The climb is long and difficult, but they manage and by mid afternoon they reach the top of the hill.  The grounds appear to have tracks from wild creatures but no signs of humanoid presence.  They enter the closest building, the Hall of Glory, and find that it was once a place that honored the knight's achievements and displayed Bahamut in all of his grandeur, inspiring his followers to great deeds. 

However, the group is attacked by the hall's current residents; swarms of spiders and their two ettercap masters.  The group fight them off and spend the rest of the evening cleaning the hall of webs, dust and dirt.  They are each rewarded with a divine boon.  The group also finds the stairway leading down into the Vaults.

End of session.