Ashe C2 Episode 70 - Hired to Watch the Merchandise

The situation at Camp

Nuth you stand alone in the center of camp right outside the door of the merchant carriage trying to figure out what to do next. It's a clear night with the two moons above and the sky is a canvas of glittering stars. The air is cold, around 48 degrees F. You see Medio Cre send Nalge Grounder out into the forest to investigate. One of the Sekiryuu Ken is missing which gives you a sinking feeling in your gut.
[DM Note: Hatamoto, the blue scaled dragonborn has noticed Nuth's antics. He has positioned himself on top of the merchant carriage and will get a surprise attack on Nuth. Perception check DC 19 to see this happen in time to act.]
Hatamoto attacks first dealing a strong surprise attack with his wakisashi.  He hisses a warning to the wizard.  "Cast no spells, drop your weapon and I will take your right arm.  Thus I will ensure you reach Westinox alive.  This is not a negotiation."  Let's roll initiative!
As Nuth and the others deal with the attack from Hatamoto a wild roar and crashing sound will emanate from the forest. Give the players one round to position themselves and get prepared.
The crashing sound intensifies and into the clearing bursts a massive lizard like monster. Dangling from it's jaws is Nalge Grounder who is impaled on one of it's massive fangs. He sputters a scream and gobs of blood fly from his mouth. The creature crashes into the center of camp and bellows a stuttery reverberating roar. A spray of black spittle flies out in a 15 ft cone from it's mouth. Any within this cone make a Dexterity saving throw [DC 15] see the stats for the Scaligruaguach. 
The creature is a servant of the evil lizardfolk dark god and it is called the Scaligruaguach.  It found the scent of Medio Cre' and followed it to the clearing.  How it knew to look for him is unclear but he is still on a dark list somewhere.  A lizard folk black cleric by the name of Uleth'Arogoth still remembers the human man who was raised under the clan from eastern swamps of Oraheim.  He and his god have decided that Medio is a loose end they want purged from their list.

East Tellenheim Company Caravan

A well guarded ETC merchant caravan is heading North to Westinox. The caravan consists of three large wagons made of heavy oak with iron banding. Two of the carriages are outfitted for passengers and each can comfortably sit six people. The third carriage that moves in the middle of the procession has no windows and is clearly used for goods and coins that are heading to various ETC outposts in the western cities.
The current load is:

• 40 lbs of Alcala Silk
• Assorted Spell Components worth 4000 gp
• 150 lbs of iron and steel
• Mining Tools
• Masons tools
• Chest of Explosive Rune stones for Mining (50)
• (Hidden/unlisted cargo: Three barrels of the strange black necrosubstance created by Darkhorse)

    Officers -  

• Guard 01 - Nalge Grounder - Half orc man, scar on his jaw.
• Guard 02 - Gregg fettleman - Human man 3rd level fighter.
• Carriage Driver - Medio Cre' - An inexperience human ranger.

The caravan is guarded by the dangerous dragonborn mercenaries known as the Sekiryuu Ken. They come as a pair and are incredibly well paid.
The slightly larger dragonborn man has blue black scales and his breath weapon is lightning. He goes by the name Hatomoto.
The second Dragonborn has red scales and uses fire, his name is Yabushige.
They cannot be bribed or paid off in anyway, they are honor bound once the contract is signed.

Heading Back to Kovara Manor

When they head back to Kovara Manor they will find Anak quite alone in the building. [DM Note: Kovara has hidden a dozen of his elite guard with a Greater invisibility spell on the grounds in case the adventurers renege on the deal.] Despite the stillness of his surroundings he bids the group to set up the arcane focus on a large alter he has created in the center of his foyer. It has clamps to hold the focus in place and several rune stones to help maintain a flow of power. He addresses all of them with a hearty greeting and then begins to lay out his plan.
"Though I have some magical ability at my disposal the only way for this to work is with your help. Nuth Welker! I need you to stand over to the right of the device and cast a third level spell into this rod. Mausim, the canny sorceror I need your innate magical power to be cast into the rod on the left. I will handle the center position. Finn, the great artificer, I would ask that you monitor the device in the center of the altar and to make sure that the power level stays within green range. If it peaks and you see the needle drift into the red use the dampening controls to bring us back down. If the focus overcharges we will be in for one hell of a wild magic explosion!"
If the Druids offer help he gives them a minor task of shepherding any cats or small animals away from the property, for their own safety. Make the team roll some checks as the ritual begins. Once the three spellcasters funnel their spells into the arcane focus the gem at the front fires out a thin beam of bright white.
"Whatever happens do not touch that beam of light! the power contained within will not just burn through your flesh but will unravel your very existence on this plane. You will be destroyed atomically and beyond the help of even the gods!." As the beam strikes the through the front door frame you see it hit the magical barrier that holds Kovara within. A cascade of colors begins to stream off of the sphere beginning at the striking point.
"It's working! Nuth! Mausim! Another spell if you would!" Kovara continues to cast his spells into the arcane focus as well. As he begins to sweat you see flashes of his true form. A not entirely unattractive horned man with slighlty darker skin and longer hair. Finn you watch as the needle flicks past the green portion and hits the red. The beam briefly becomes unstable and begins to undulate. Roll an arcana check DC 14. If Finn fails make him roll on the wild magic table to see what the result is. See Magical Mishaps! Demaia or Kavax would be vulnerable to these as well as the rest of the team.
Repeat this a couple of times, give Finn at least five checks to make sure nothing goes wrong. Have Mausim and Nuth give constitution checks as well with every fail becoming a magical Mishap. When the ritual is complete the barrier shatters and explodes outward like a massive soap bubble!
You watch as the beam shatters the barrier! Now completely filled with hazy colors like oil on pavement, the colors intensify and the barrier explodes outward! Instead of fire and brick it explodes like a massive soap bubble. The millions of complex weaves of magic untangle at the same time and a rainbow of colors sails off into the atmosphere and the rest of the city. Despite the size it seems to be harmless. Mausim and Nuth you both go down on one knee and suffer two points of exhaustion. The ritual was a success and you watch as the arcane focus begins to crumble as the stone of the horse head breaks down and devolves into sand. The gems around it fall with it into a fine pile of white.
[DM Note: This is a final illusion cast by Anak Kovara! the arcane focus is still whole he is desperately trying to trick the players. Allow Finn an arcana check DC 21 to notice anything amiss]   History of Anak Kovara:
"The answer is I was summoned to this plane of existence by a powerful wizard. See pretty boring story now that I say it outloud. Yes, you would term my provenance as a demon or a djinn but that doesn't make me evil or out to rule the world. Doesn't make me the same as the Dark One. After I was summoned I was trapped in the ritual circle. It's still right upstairs in the room above me. The wizard who called himself Melvikothe, trapped me and decided to use my divination abilties to help him defeat another mage. Not too long after he fought his rival and died just outside, whatever wild magic explosions were created resulted in me being trapped here for even longer. In the last few centuries I have managed to expand my limits to the edges of the manor house, I can now roam it's halls and rooms but no more."
The arcane focus that you carried and protected for so long would allow me to destroy the barrier and live like anyone else. You get me the arcane focus and I give you a workforce to help lift your airship out of the river. Before you tell me that you already have a deal with Herod I would remind you that Herod only has his company and wealth because of me. Over the years I helped him and the rest of the Eyes of the Basilisk achieve their money and power. I can make that deal evaporate with a snap of my fingers."
Anak Kovara is indeed what we be called a demon, he comes a plane of existence adjacent to the Ethereal plane, called Tel'Aran'Rhiod. It is a traveling dimension and a dimension that allows access to dreaming. He claims that if he severs his connection to the his home plane he would never return and would find a manner of mortality here on Tanaheim. His lifespan is very long and he grew very bored moving through the worlds of others never being able to touch or interact with them. Once he was summoned to the material plane he experienced a rush of sensations. He immediately became addicted to the sounds and feelings all around him. His secret is that he set up the battle of the two wizards by contacting Melvikothe's rival Oriander Orindrase. He came to him in a dream and told him of the treachery of Melvikothe. He expected to be set free immediately but the binding did not come apart, and despite it's elastic nature it has only strengthened over the years.
  After the Ritual Anak who also claims to be exhausted offers them a feast in exchange for their incredible service. He tells them that he has made arrangements for them to dine at the Dryad's Globes.
"An establishment of some ill repute that I have been dying to try! What fun it will be to walk amongst the citizens of this great city, especially those that actually live and work. I am so tired of the wealthy stuffed shirts I have been entertaining for the last several decades." He slumps in exhaustion and fails to maintain his illusory form but even in his true form he is an attractive charismatic sort of Tiefling. "Come let us discuss the details of getting you that air ship!"

Future Story Points -
Lord Vedemire Darkhorse -
His Phylactery is in Dalemoor Castle in the Tellenor Mountains. The same place where Virgil Capsaicin was changed into a guinea pig. Give Virgil a way to remember this, a portrait painting or some artifact. His phylactery will be a statue of his dead mother. A famous Baroness from the second age.
  If the players venture here they will find that the castle is cursed. Anyone who ventures through the Blue Constellation door will be changed. The curse changes the person into an animal, a plush doll, a wooden toy, or some manner of puppet. Their abilities and minds remain but are now morphed into the toy version of their attacks or feats. Druids may attempt a wild shape but now on a random table with small critters listed. All of them are now incredibly susceptible to fire attacks and their HP and attacks now reflect their new forms. Allow Darkhorse to contact them and taunt via a magic mirror as he revels in their distress.
The Great Dead Tree
Now holds the new creche for the Krullocs. This time the creatures are further mutated with huge bat wings and sonic attacks. Need some cool maps and images for the battles.
The Dreiduaras Dome
To get to Cog the team will need to get past the Blue Dragon and his army of Slaad.