I. Choor's Challenge

It was June of 665 CY. A party of bold adventurers from the town of Pellak in Bissell found themselves reading a letter from a mysterious and powerful wizard who was a mutual acquaintance of them all:

Greetings,

I am in need of a party of bold, cunning and powerful adventurers, for I have received disturbing information. I have learned, through special means, that a friend of mine has been taken prisoner. Since my friend is quite powerful, it is clear to me that a mighty force is at work. And so I have made inquiries as to who among the many seekers of fame and fortune in this realm might be capable of finding and rescuing my friend, and my sources have advised me that you might be such a party.

Should you feel that you can meet this challenge, and prove able to do so, you will be well rewarded upon your rescue of my friend. But be warned! The way is fraught with peril and filled with foes, as others have learned to their sorrow. And those of you who are not able might consider taking swimming lessons!

To begin with, seek the Gatekeeper, who can be found three days north of this town in the mountains near the Pool of Ivrin.  Take care, however, for the gatekeeper is very private, resents unannounced intruders and has the means to make them regret their lack of respect. Mention my name to the gatekeeper and you will receive further information that will enable you to proceed toward your goal.

Oh yes, one more thing: my friend’s name is Ssangyong.May the gods watch over your venture.

Choor U. Pann-Mejomm
Mage

PS: Any information you may obtain concerning the nature of the forces holding my friend and/or the areas you pass through during the course of your mission is of interest to me and will entitle you to appropriate compensation.

C
The party included Edward Gallahand, the paladin of Hieroneous; Green Arrow the elven archer; Amalla Su, a mysterious female adventurer; Eloban the cleric; Tabris the dwarven fighter; and Tranquillis, a lantern archon. They all agreed that they would undertake Choor’s challenge.

After three days’ travel northwest from Pellak along the Realstream River and into the Banner Hills, the party encountered the Gatekeeper,  the nymph Estel, who told the party about the hidden gate she guarded. She provided the party with the key to entering the gate. The party followed an ancient road along a stream from the Pool of Ivrin into a small cave in which the gate was set. On opening the gate, the party followed the road into a wide tunnel under the mountains, and after further investigation of abandoned habitations within the tunnel eventually came to a large cavern, site of the ancient, abandoned mining town of Silverhold.

During the course of their explorations of Silverhold and travels back and forth between Silverhold and Pellak, the cleric Eloban disappeared. Tranquillis vanished as well. The party recruited new members: Dune, a halfling rogue, Moreshi, a powerful monk, and Nike, a female cleric. Back in Pellak, the party discovered that Tranquillis had been captured by a group of Olidammara’s followers, led by the sorcerer Hoonsok and his friends Eunso, Miae and Syngman, and was being held for ransom. The party discovered the secret hideout of the kidnappers and, after a battle, liberated Tranquillis; Hoonsok, Eunso and Miae escaped. Tranquillis decided to return to Celestia for further instructions, and Tabris left as well.

Further exploration of Silverhold revealed that the colony had been founded by dwarves hundreds of years ago, abandoned, resettled by humans under whom the colony prospered for many years, and finally abandoned about 50-60 years ago. The colony was now inhabited by hordes of grimlocks and creatures more foul.

The party explored the ruins of the colony, both the town proper and a large complex of cliff-dwellings, as well as surrounding mines. Eventually the party discovered the king’s chamber, the temple, and the treasury. Failure to successfully disable a trap guarding the treasury resulted in several party members being sent to the planes of the Abyss, Hades and the Nine Hells. As a result of Amalla’s efforts and the aid of a member of the Wayfarers, the party members were rescued. Upon their return, however, the party learned that Hoonsok’s crew had been scrying on the party, and gained sufficient information to successfully raid the treasury and leave a message to that effect for the party!

The party continued its exploration of the king’s chamber and the temple, gaining valuable information and treasures along the way before exposing the secret master of the colony: a medusa sorcerer. After a huge battle in the throne room, the party defeated the medusa, her wight ally and their grimlock minions.

The ancient road into Silverhold led out of the cavern and further into the mountains. In records found in the colony’s library, the party found references to a place called "Darksea". Remembering Choor’s advice concerning swimming, the party decided to attempt to locate Darksea. They took the ancient road out of the cavern, and after miles of underground travel and passage through a chamber filled with magma vents and fiery paraelemental creatures, the party reached a vast underground chamber, the entrance of which was marked with the name "Darksea."

Darksea proved to be a vast abandoned city by the side of an underground sea extending over a mile beneath the mountains. Most of the shore of the sea was settled at one time, with the primary settlement being south and east of the lake between the shore and the cavern walls. The waters and shores proved to be inhabited by kuo-toas, while the ruins of the city itself were infested by various monsters.

The party fought desperate battles against the monsters of Darksea, particularly the swarms of kuo-toas. At one point, both Edward and Green Arrow were taken by the kuo-toas, and only the timely intervention of Hoonsok and his crew saved the party from disaster. Hoonsok’s attitude was to let bye-gones be bye-gones, that there was plenty of treasure to be had for all in Darksea, and that they would help the party--for a price (including several magic items stolen from the party!). Miae, however, appeared to be attracted to Edward.

Having decided that Ssangyong was not likely to be found among the kuo-toas, the party turned their attention to the main settlement of Darksea, exploring police stations, temples, ruined commercial structures and homes, governmental buildings, an armory, a treasury, and a magic shop. They learned that Darksea had been abandoned after suffering many calamaties, including an invasion by drow, mindflayers and other evil creatures of the Underdark about 50 years ago.

Along the way they encountered parties of skums, who enquired whether the party was with "the Compact," and one of their leaders, a renegade drow named Sovan. The party learned that Sovan was an outcast from the infamous drow city of Erelhei-Cinlu, in the dreaded Vault of the Drow, and was now in league with a secret organization dedicated to battling and destroying the drow, an organization known as the Ashen Compact. Sovan gave the party leave to explore Darksea, but Moreshi chose to remain with Sovan for a time. Sovan then attended to the interrogation of a drow spy who had recently been captured.

Exploring tunnels dug under the main settlement, the party encountered a gang of driders and giant spiders, whom they defeated, and discovered two prisoners held by the driders, who proved to be the survivors of a previous party sent by Choor to find Ssangyong. Amalla brought the survivors back to Pellak to be healed (using her mysterious teleportation power). The party also found and liberated a trapped dwarven figher, Balin, who joined the party.

An unsuccessful attempt to disable a trap in a magic shop resulted in Dune’s disappearance after being struck by a prismatic spray. The party recovered magic items, however, including a scroll with a vision spell. 

Nike prepared herself to cast the spell. She read the mystical words from the scroll, closed her eyes, and opened her mind. Gradually she began to perceive swirling mists that extended into darkness. From out of the mists, a figure advanced toward her: a very tall human man, pale, gaunt, wearing a white shroud. The figure gazed into her eyes. She felt as if she were being scrutinized, as if the giant were determining if she were worthy of his attention. Finally, the figure spoke:

"I will tell you three things, but only once. To find that which you seek, pay heed."

He then spoke for the first time: "Bronze falls to water. The surroundings are eerie."

After a brief pause, he spoke again: "A griffon before, amazement today."

Finally, he spoke again, and for the last time: "Seek for the rock that was broken."

After speaking for the last time, the figure turned and walked back into the mist without looking back.

Nike shared the gaunt figure’s words with the rest of the party. After much thought and exploration, the adventurers realized that the words referred to an island in the underground sea on which was built a fortresss (Eesi Rock).   In the ruins of the fortress ("the rock that was broken"), the party ultimately found a cage, formerly used as a griffon's aerie.  The aerie was now the site of a forcecage spell ("a mazement"!).  And within the forcecage, the party found a bronze dragon, who proved to be the very Ssangyong they had been sent to rescue! 

Ssangyong explained that he had been sent by Choor to occupy Darksea years ago and to destroy the monsters who had infiltrated into the city. About two years ago a portal from the Plane of Water had suddenly opened in the underground sea, and a large number of monsters had emerged, including a huge aboleth. The aboleth proved to have sorcerous powers as well, and had used its powers to trap Ssangyong and imprison him in the fortress.

The party freed Ssangyong and prepared to leave Darksea when suddenly loud explosions and the sounds of battle reached their ears. A sealed gate to the Underdark had been forced open and the city was again being invaded by a powerful force of drow and their allies. Resisting the invasion was the Ashen Compact, which had been forced to fight before they were ready. The party decided to leave immediately, but Ssangyong insisted on taking his vengeance on the aboleth and also wanted to join the fight. So the party intervened in the battle, in the process rescuing Hoonsok and his crew, who had shown up looking for loot and been almost overwhelmed by the battle. At last, the party fled from Darksea with Ssangyong, and were taken by him to Choor’s hidden headquarters in the Lortmil Mountains to the south.

The remaining party members (Edward, Green Arrow, Amalla, Nike and Balin) were handsomely rewarded by Choor. Choor then proposed a follow-up mission for the party: finish clearing Darksea of monsters, especially the kuo-toas; continue surveying the city; and join with the efforts to reconstruct and re-occupy the city. Choor also indicated that this project was backed by "the Enterprise," of which he was a member.

The party then returned to Darksea and proceeded to take action against the kuo-toas. After a protracted struggle including a huge battle with Aushanna, the erinyes devil guardian of the kuo-toas’ hidden underground temple, the party was successful, although not without losses (including Balin and Nike). Huge quantities of treasure were recovered by the party.

Choor then advised the party to take some time off, relax and return to Pellak for further activities. He recommended a particular tavern in town ("The Ill 'Lithid"), which proved to be owned by another member of the Enterprise. Here the party remained for a time, while Edward and Amalla recruited followers and attracted cohorts. This proved easier than expected, because the survivors of Choor’s first party had told everyone in town of the might and bravery of the party.

While in town, the party also rescued a young girl who was being attacked by a wererat. They killed the wererat, and to their surprise, discovered that it was actually Eloban, their original cleric! The party then recalled that, during a battle the first time that took place they had explored the tunnel leading to Silverhold, they had encountered and defeated a wererat, and that Eloban had been wounded by the creature.