Session 4

As the group continues through the Proving Grounds of Cardinal Thorn, they find a secret door along the hallway leading to the door proclaiming "Secrecy is ourgreatest ally. Exposure brings death.”

Based on the layout of the dungeon, they initially forgo the obvious door & instead try for the secret door & find it leads to another room, that speaks of the fallen rising again.  Aware of the words of warning from the late squire, they carefully look into the room which appears to be full of water-logged coffins.  But, Galen, being schooled in the ways of underground creatures assures the group that the Shrieker is a creature sensitive to light & since the current room is already lit, they are safe to advance, all be it carefully.  So Brother Summit enters the room & searches for any mushrooms or the like hiding in the shadows, as well as for any secret doors.  It is right after the monk steps into the room that the first coffin bursts, unleashing it's undead occupant on the Monk.  The fight that erupts is hard, but, with the Druegr coming out of coffins in a staggered way, the soon-to-be-knot is able to stay on top of the situation, only suffering a couple hard hits along the way.

The group thoroughly searches the room before going toward the original room they by-based, all be it from the direction of the coffin room.  Being sure to dose all lights, they sneak into the room beyond, relying on the dark vision of Brother Summit.  The "good" brother quickly spots a couple Mushrooms that match Galen's description of a Shrieker & quickly disposes of them.  Returning, they continue on to the 9th & presumably final room in their trial.

What awaits them is Sir Balen of Karfield, Knight of the Alerion order & former mentor to the now fallen Emmerick.  Emmerick calls on the others to give him the killing blow or risk his wrath before he advances on his former father figure.  Quel respects his wishes & remains back as Brother Summit rushes ahead & attempts to grapple the knight & pin him to the ground as Emmerick advances, mace in hand.  The casters augment Emmerick as well as strike glancing blows on the knight.  But the fight is manly decided by the three melee combatants.  It takes a bit but eventually Brother Summit pins Sir Balen down.  Sir Balen says "I'm sorry my son" before Emmerick shots back "I am not your son!" and ends the knights life.

Recovering the Holy Symbol of the Knight, a Gold with Sapphire Gem, they return to Cardinal Thorn, who congratulates them on their success & informs them their training has just begun.

Over the next 2 weeks, the group goes through rigorous training, as does the other knot.  Along the way, some in the group are surprised at how skilled of a teacher the Cardinal of Asmodeus truly is and in the end, all come away learning something new.  After the training is done, a great feast is held and the group is anointed in the blood of a Barbed Devil and proclaimed by the last High Priest of Asmodeus on Talengarde as his Ninth Knot, the Nessian Knot.  After the feast, his team is given their task, guard a weapons shipment by boat to the far north to a Bugbear chieftain named Fire-Axe, after that, destroy the ship they came on (including the sailors & captain) & weaken the watch tower Balentyne by the town of Aldencross and aid the Bugbear horde in entering Talengarde.

The Nessian Knot sets sail on the Frosthamar, captained by Kargeld Odenkirk, loaded with weapons for Sakkarot Fire-Axe.  The first part of the trip goes well, they travel along the coast of Talengarde unmolested until reaching the watch wall.  It is there they encounter their first obstacle, a patrol boat, The Blade of St. Martius.  Quel, spotting the patrol ship approaching on an intercept course, gives the Knot & crew enough time to prepare.  Opting for subterfuge, the group come up with a plan to have Emmerick claim to be a member of the Alerion Order, using the dagger taken from the body of Sir Balen as proof & claim they are on a patrol mission beyond the watch wall.  Feeding the story to the Captain of the Blade works better than expected & even though they lack proper "papers" the Captain lets them go without doing a full search of the ship.

The group's next encounter goes much worse.  Less than two days after leaving the Blade of St. Martius clueless in the Frosthamar's wake, a couple sailors spot some dolphins arrive to ride the waves of the ship.  Galen, deciding to amuse himself, summons a fiendish dolphin to "play" with the other dolphins.  The dolphins disappear & a second later re-surface, this time bearing Triton riders armed with Crossbows who open fire on the Frosthamar & it's crew.  The fight is long & hard.  Many arrows are launched back & forth.  Arcane spells & negative energy cross the void as well.  Even some melee combat happens, as small water elementals materialize on board the ship & try to push it's occupants overboard.  At one point Brother Summit attempts to bring the fight to the Tritons as he leaps into the water & engages a Triton & Dolphin with backup from Galen's fiendish-Dolphin.

After rounds of fighting, as the Triton warriors all fall, the leader, a Triton wielding a beautiful trident summons a water elemental onto the ship & goes on a vain suicide charge, leaping onto the boat.  The attacks are quick & brutal, the water elemental causes some serious damage to the Death Priestess but the Triton fares worse against the Anti-Paladin of Hell & his Oracle & Monk allies.  And as his life blood drains out the Oracle of Mitra gives a prophetic warning of doom, saying "The shining sun has seen the wickedness you hide in your hearts. And thus it will be the son who brings your doom.”