Chapter 2: Consult Mystic Sages

Back in the Seven Pillared hall, all is as it seems. The Mages are in occupancy of their tower, Rendil Halfmoon is still quite alive, and the events that previously transpired in the Seven Pillared Hall all seem to be undone.

A visit to the Mages of Saruun was not something the party actively enjoyed but business was business and a staff needed to be returned. The Mages were a little less cold to the party as they had successfuly recovered the lost artifact however, with the combined social skills of Alfirin Dag and the arcane tension of Van Gibson, the mages soon asked the party be on their way after the reward was issued. Needing to research the arcane library of the mages, Van Gibson stayed in the tower to find information on the dream and the mysterious holy symbol found in the sarcophagus.

After hours of research and a few interruptions from some upset mages, Van Gibson found the dream the group experienced was actually a Greater Dreamscape ritual. The components and the arcane abilities needed to cast the ritual were of untold evil and power. As for the holy symbol, the long forgotten deity was of the far realm variety, going by the name of Ithiqua. Satisfied with his research but still seeking information on the embryo affliction, Van Gibson went into the components closet of the Mages of Saruun and began the Consult Mystic Sages ritual.

From out of the depths of the demi-spell, an old friend appeared, floating on an arm chair and smoking a pipe of bubble tobacco. Valthruun, the prescient, was happily surprised to see Van Gibson and answered his conundrum about the affliction. Though elements in the Greater Dreamscape ritual were completely fabricated, the affliction was quite real and potentially lethal. The necromantic prowess displayed in the ritual itself led Valthruun to believe that the embryos could only be removed by someone with great necrotic abilities. Running out of time in the ritual, Valthruun offered another meeting with the entire group back at the Mages Library.

The next day, the party rode their way into the tower on bubble steeds, phasing through the arcane defenses of the tower and then insubstantially passing through the physical tower itself to find Valthruun welcoming them and several Mages of Saruun suspended in animation. Valthrun then transported them into the library where Thohand set up a ritual cottage inside the library, much to the delight of Valthruun ("Ah, excellent thinking Thohand!" Stroking his beard with a bit of a chuckle). Valthruun explained the affliction as no laughing matter and that it may be important to seek out the town of Phaervorul (to see if anyone was still alive there) and Zirithian (to see if the embryo's were real).

Bidding a fond farewell to some of his favorite drinking buddies, Valthruun mentioned finding a guide through the underdark. As the party was teleported back outside the mages tower, Valthruun, wanting to join in on the fun, quickly permified the ritual cottage before departing.