Keep on the Borderlands: Session 12: Back to the Beginning

Session 12: Back to the Beginning

As the party prepared to exit the tomb of Greyson Ramthane, they used the Serpent’s Eye to send a quick message to Friar Benwick, notifying him (and Gorn) of their success. Their benefactor responded that they would meet the group at the entrance and reminded the party that they should divide the treasure there, to avoid suspicion within the Keep.

The adventurers warily retraced their steps through the central chamber, prepared for another battle against guardian creatures. Whether due to their caution or not, the heroes passes unhindered through the room and found themselves back in the first chamber. The entry room remained just as they had left it, but was now occupied by Benwick and Gorn, as well as the friar’s assistants, Gordi and Sal.

The group recounted their activities and encounters to the Friar and Captain of the Guard as they divided the gold. Benwick then asked for the group to return the Serpent’s Eye. When the heroes hesitated, having grown more suspicious of their employer, Friar Benwick snatched away the magical gem (using previously unrevealed arcane power), directed Gorn and the others to attack, then used the Serpent’s Eye to teleport away in a flash of sickly green light.

Betrayed, the party was then faced by a formidable array of enemies that seized the moment of surprise to launch a brutal assault. The adventurers defended themselves vigorously, fending off their murderous attackers and turning the tide in their favor, until they had slain all but one of their assailants, who had begged for mercy—promising to reveal Benwick’s plans if the party allowed him to live.

The desperate prisoner spilled everything—staring with the revelation that Benwick is actually a loyal follower of Zehir, the evil deity of poison. His plot against Ronnik was purely to frame him as a follower of Tiamat in order to use the heroes to secure the Serpent’s Eye and eliminate the influence of the rival cult. The party then learned of Benwick’s plans to use the Serpent’s Eye and the treasure the party just recovered to bribe a pair of black dragons (and the tribe of lizardfolk they rule) into attacking Restwell Keep—in order to turn the keep into a citadel dedicated to Zehir.