The End of Those Next Steps and a New Business Report

Lord Alistair Thornwell was waiting for the party at the Laughing Axe, sitting at a table with two books in hand. One the tome that was retrieved from the Kobolds and another brimming with his notes.   He has translated, as best he can, the tome. It is written in a language that is so ancient it appears to be a mix of Infernal and Draconic.   Repeated mentions of the name ‘Pyraxion’ – Arcane check to ascertain that Pyraxion was a fierce red dragon from before the Scourge. One who had a cult following him.   The tome appears to be some kind of bible, the gist of which is that Pyraxion’s followers must overcome the trial of fire in order to be welcomed into the Dragon’s embrace.   The trial will be revealed with the words “Zyraak uth Morthos, Varym Ignizaar.” (By flame and fury, I seek the burning path)   But first, they need to open the ancient door, which can be done with the words: “Vorkul Thrysskaar, Zorath Veldrin.” (Open in my name, paper and stone together)   And when the words are spoken, the tome glows. Suggesting they’ll need to take it with them.   Which of course they do, and the party heads off back to the underground chamber they had found themselves in the week before. Thankfully this time without almost dying to any traps, Kobolds or scorpions.   With the book pressed against the stone symbol, the words open the door and it leads them to a chamber with two more doors. One has 'Ignizaar' written above it – the burning path. The other has the words ‘Velkaar Pyraxion’ (Pyraxion’s Embrace). Needless to say, they can only open one the burning path...a trial of fire.   With that door open, it’s into the second chamber where they find a magically locked door. Near the door is a small wooden stool and a hand saw. Corbyn Chuzzle cast Detect Magic and picked up transfiguration magic from the saw and stool, and illusion magic in every wall and door.   Investigating the saw showed them the words ‘make a whole again’. Then after repeatedly putting themselves (and Matrim Harperly ) through all sorts of pain, eventually Veylin the Untamed threw the stool in frustration. A leg broke off and when it was reattached...and making the stool whole again...the door to the next chamber opened.   Matrim was promptly kicked through, Veylin raised the stool in triumph (only for the leg to break off again) closing the door behind Matrim. Who found himself surrounded by reanimating kobold skeletons...   Thankfully the party reattached the stool, opened the door once more and were able to defeat the skeletons.   There was no rest for the wicked though because no sooner had Thane Swiftglade stepped into the next chamber they heard a click. Suddenly they see arrows primed to fire from each wall in a cross fire. A perception check showed a brick that looking out of place on the opposite side of the room. Which would probably shut off the trap, assuming they could make it past the arrows and the spider in the pit that made traversing the room even more difficult.   The spider was dealt with in a most ingenious fashion. Corbyn made the ground beneath the pit rumble which drove the spider out and into a hail of arrows. Dead.   Then they gathered stones to throw at the switch, and when one hit, they realised it gave the party a limited time to escape the room. So, they set the timer going a second time, Matrim used Misty Step to appear next to the stone and hold it in the wall to keep the mechanism from re-setting while everyone bundled through to safety and into a room where they could rest.   After catching their breath, the party looked into the next chamber, where they saw two ghostly blue lights. While they were deciding on their next move, a noise was made which attracted the two lights (which turned out to be Wights) into attacking the party.   With the wights dealt with, a door opened into an area with a small campfire and bedding. Safe enough for a long rest...   The next morning, after a practical joke to make Veylin look like he'd wet himself, it was time to continue into the cave. It was then they heard a booming voice "Now you must face the trail of fire!" and the party saw the cave magically shift and move around them, lava flooding the floor and the stone walls and floor breaking off and floating in the magma. In the centre of the room was a giant fire construct, that was seemingly held in place by a fire elemental and three imps.   The party defeated all the enemies and while they were picking up a crest from the construct's armour that bore Pyraxion's sigil, Thane stole some of the loot for himself.   With the crest successfully in their possession, the party returned to the Laughing Axe to show Lord Thornwell the mysterious writing on the rear.   Thornwell didn't immediately recognise the writing and promised to research it, rewarding the party with 1,000 gold each!   The party decided to use this money to buy Skrizzle 's restaurant off him, seeing as business had never quite recovered from the Sahuagin attack. Their intention? To turn it into a microbrewery.   Skrizzle agreed to sell it to the party for 500 gold but warned them he had a loan on the premises that he'd taken out from some loan sharks. And they wouldn't be happy...