Dissolution Notes Banewarrens

Banewarrens (8-10)

Built for slightly lower level characters, so cranking the opposition somewhat by adding other delving teams.

Presentation

Around 8,000 years ago, during an era of peace following a long war against a great evil, the world was largely at peace. With evil cowed and in hiding, a cleric named Danar Rotansin sought to eradicate all the evil magical items he could find. He quickly became convinced, however, that destroying them just released their evil back into the world, so constructed a great underground vault called Tremoc Korin. He spent his entire life filling this vault with these evil "banes", leading the vault to also be called the "banewarrens".
- Danar
- Banwarrens interior
Within 50 years, the concentration of evil within the banewarrens grows so repugnant that the earth itself thrusts it away, forming the Spire, with Danar Rotansin's fortress Mosul Pearl at the tip.
- Spire
- Mosul Pearl
Thirty years later, a lifetime in proximity to these banes (and acquisition of a bane called the Book of Inverted Darkness) corrupts Danar Rotansin. He becomes the Dread One, taking the name Eslathagos Malkith. He changes the name of his castle to Jabel Shammar and begins using the banes he once strove to keep out of evil hands to create more wicked servants.
- Dread One
He emerges a few years later, launching an attack so devastating, it threatened to tear the world asunder. Only the actions of all the mortal races, led by powerful and stalwart heroes—many of whom had been friends and companions of Danar—stopped the forces of Eslathagos Malkith, most of them giving their lives and souls in the process.
- Skull banner
- Heroes
The Banewarrens remained completely impervious to penetration of any kind for thousands of years. Rumors say that one can enter the Banewarrens through Jabel Shammar. In fact, some say the Dread One was killed in the warrens, though the heroes to did the deed entered through Jabel Shammar. If there is such a connection, that would be good to know.
- Door
Then the Vallis Moon returned. When it appeared, seals on the Banewarren doors started failing. It took a while for anyone to notice, but over the past few days some parties have gone into the Banewarrens.
- Valis Moon
Cassiadora wants you to go in for her, to discover the fate of Saggarintys, a silver dragon who helped Danar design, build and organize the Banewarrens. When Danar became the Dread One, most mentions of the dragon stop, but Cassiadora has found some ancient documents that suggest Saggarintys may have been imprisoned in some kind of suspended animation. She wants the group to go into the Banewarrens to see if this is true and, if possible, revive Saggarintys. If he still lives, and is not corrupted himself, he would be the most likely to know how to reseal the Banewarrens.
- Silver dragon
The Inverted Pyramid sent in a small research team, but they did not go in that far. They were only there to get a feel for the aura of the place, to better be able to reseal it. This task currently occupies the entirety of the Inverted Pyramid, and they may be able to accomplish it. Once they do, chances are anyone in the Banewarrens won't be able to get back out.
- Inverted Pyramid
Others are likely planning (or already executing) their own expedition into the Banewarrens. One such group has been sent by the Church of Lothian. Or, at least, a faction within it. This group is dangerous to Cassiadora's purposes, because they are a part of the church that seeks to re-impose the Edict of Deviltry, which bans all arcane magic. To this end, they seek a historically important weapon against the arcane called the sword of truth. Cassiadora wants this weapon kept out of the church's hands.
- Church imagery
- Sword of truth
Cassiadora sent her own team into the Banewarrens already, but they were all killed shortly after penetrating an inner vault. They carry a device that will allow her to teleport the group to her team's location.
Cassiadora's Goodie Bag

Cassiadora's pitch

Cassiadora calls in her marker.
- Sent a team into the Banewarrens. They got killed.
- Wants to discover fate of silver dragon.
- Team also had a marker, so she can teleport in the party in, as long as the complex remains unsealed.
- Knows the Knights of the Pale are interested in the sword of truth, and wants them stopped. (Maybe she is part of the inverted pyramid?)
- Knows that the Inverted Pyramid wants to re-seal the Banewarrens, and needs to focus her efforts on interfering with this until the party succeeds.
- Only then, would like party to seal the Banewarrens, if possible.
Ignore…
- …the House Vaadim stuff.
- …the banewarrens key.
- …the three part staff.

The Inner Vaults

Skipping the outer vaults via Cassiadora's dimension door rings, which her now dead initial team brought as far as the inner vaults.

Team Quaan

The Pactlords of the Quaan want the black grail from the Banewarrens. They are found towards the end, having found (and eliminated) the secret door in room #2 of the inner vault. It takes the team quite a while to drag the beholder past the anti-magic cave, which is why they haven't penetrated further, even with their head start. Perhaps mind flayer charms brutes into carrying? But maybe they have to wait for them to regenerate, having wailed on them before? Once on the level with the chain devil, team coerces devil to giving location of grail. When they find out, the beholder says it "will go on ahead", as they it flies, leaving the others behind (perhaps the mind flayer has an injury that prevents him from levitating, or is just afraid to confront the beholder alone). In reality, the beholder wants the grail for itself. Realizing this, the mind flayer knows it needs support to confront them, so is trying to come up with a plan (probably charming the devil) as the players arrive on the level. Meanwhile, the beholder is stopped outside of room 25, trying to figure out how to bypass it without getting shifted away (ironically, only the mind flayer below would be able to shift back).

beholder (CR 13) killed
Vendarlik, mind flayer (CR 8) escaped
Saphix, female dark naga (CR 8) killed
Nihil, female green hag rogue (CR 8, rogue 3) killed
By the time the PCs meet the team, the mind flayer will also probably have charmed the Master of Chains (CR 8).
team had a troll (CR 5, killed in pit trap) and a number of bugbears (CR 5, killed), but all have been lost along the way. Perhaps a bit of a trail (with bone quaan rings) for the PCs to follow. Might be interesting if the troll just got tossed down the baneheart, and his regeneration managed to save him; however, the vrock had a chance to capture him, and wants to use him as an ever regenerating source of food.

Team Tech

(CL 12) The Shuul want to learn the secrets of the warding generators. Probably come in just before the party does. Might be found in the cataclysm chamber (as the sound of gunshots would be useful to draw the party that direction). The rhodintor would probably be casting stuff, risking rift formation and sucking in additional outsiders. (Good way to make the Slaadi more dangerous.)

Melirix, male human priest of Teun (cleric 7)
Kithsul, male gnome fighter (figher 5, shadowdancer 2) killed
Tole, male sniper human (rogue 7) killed
Movendy Vadhaghan, male half-elf druid (druid 7)
Greli, female dwarven war priest (ranger 4, cleric 3)
Scarfur (rhodindor, sarycal, CR7) killed

Team Lothian

(CL 12) Wants the sword of truth. Come in after the party, probably will be found when the party backtracks. Would fight both the Shuul and Team Evil. Traitor among them can act as a conduit for Mind Flayer. In combat, Flayer would probably use psionic blasts if it thought they could be pinned on others.

Moston Ferelurth, male human priest of lothian (cleric 8). Skilled, but arrogant.
Sharah Nestor, female human paladin (paladin 7). Devout, but aggressive in combat. Has crush on Vaesillian.
Tilani Vash, male aasimar paladin (paladin 7). Methodical and efficient, but sweet.
Vaesillian Moonheart, male elf priest, a voidmind traitor (cleric 7)
Gribblevin Thistle, male halfling priest, (cleric 4,wizard 3) Not particularly devout.
Urdas, justice archon (cleric 1 (CR7)). Pure and narrow-minded.

Team Dragon

Working for Cassiadora, got killed by godslayer sent specifically after them.

Wildcards

Bluespawn Godslayer sent in after Team Dragon, as well as to make sure silver king is dead. Kills most of team dragon. A couple escape, but get finished off by pudding. After just forcing his way through the prismatic wall in room #35, slayer finds dragon room, but can't figure out how to get to the silver king. He's been "sleeping on it" (also to digest the meal of Team Dragon).