Session 21 - Among the Monks

 

The party reaches Boareskyr Bridge and the cluster of cliff buildings the monks live in around it. They see the Godsdeath spring bubbling up from the waters below and meet Satchel, an attractive tiefling monk standing vigil. She notes that it has been 130 years since Cyric slew Bhaal at this spot, and that the monks have been here far longer than that. She welcomes the companions and offers them food and lodging if they wish it.

The party decides to make use of the hot spring baths here and meet a few more of the monks. They find them quirky, boastful and diverse in origin. Dravej is gently ribbed a little for leaving the enclave, and some strong mushroom brew is shared, hitting Amanon particularly hard. Finally it is time for shared dinner, though Wanda is tired and chooses to retire early.

At the Hall of Sustenance they meet the last of Dravej's trainers, a half-orc hunter and chef who prepares a tasty dinner of salad and boar. Mesmer, ever eager to acquire knowledge, attempts to make the acquaintance of the elder Master of Scrolls, and finds him curiously dismissive about the sacredness of books. Amanon is stopped by the monastery's mason, Trinika, who asks for his help with a problem in the monastery.

She leads him off to the Brewing Hall, where mushrooms and hops are harvested from caverns and distilled into various drinks. In the fermentation basement, she points out some blackish staining oozing through the bricks, insisting that it's been impossible to seal off. As Amanon investigates, the room is locked and someone releases a swarm of Kyuss worms into the chamber. A few moonlight spells burn through the worms, but Trinika is infected and they decide to amputate her leg.

Limping back to the dinner they announce the assassination attempt, and the high Abbess is called to investigate.